§ 41. Mr. Hornbyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of school leavers with two or more General Certificate of Education "A" levels entered university in 1956, 1962 and 1967.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsAn estimated 69 per cent., 47 per cent. and 50 per cent. of school leavers with two or more "A" level passes entered universities in 1956, 1962 and 1967 respectively. The numbers doing so were about 18,000, 22,000 and 35,000.
§ Mr. HornbyDoes not than Answer lend additional support to the concern expressed in previous Questions about restrictions on the university building 1582 programme? Is not a very serious situation about to face both universities and pupils trying to enter them, unless the Government speedily review their university building programme policy?
§ Mrs. WilliamsIndependent commentators in the educational sphere have pointed out that, because of the Government's response to the need to expand university places, there is less competition, or less intensive competition to get in now than there was in 1962. The figures that I have given have shown that this is so. It is, however, the case that the universities are hoping to maintain a rate of expansion which will bring them at least 20,000 beyond the Robbins target for 1971–72, regardless of the cuts which have been recently made in university building expenditure.