§ 2. Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many mature students he envisages being admitted to higher education in each of the next 16 years.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science (Mr. Peter Brooke)The Department's 1983 projections assume that mature students on full-time courses will fall from 36,000 in 1982–83 to between 23,000 and 24,000 by 1998–99. The assumptions underlying these projections are currently under review, and my right hon. Friend plans to issue revised projections by around Easter.
§ Mr. Kilroy-SilkIs the Minister aware that that is an extremely disappointing answer? Will he now take steps to reverse that process, particularly as the numbers of school leavers wanting university places will decline in the next 10 years and the need for technological skills will increase? Will he therefore take steps to ensure that more university opportunities will be available to mature students in the next 10 years?
§ Mr. BrookeI was responding on the basis of projections, and projections cannot be wrong until what they project has failed to happen. The hon. Gentleman's question clearly concerns a subject that is under review during the current year.
§ Mr. Rhodes JamesIs my hon. Friend aware that this category of students should be actively encouraged by the Government and by universities, and that in order to do that it is essential to have far greater flexibility in grants, particularly discretionary grants, for those who have done first degrees in the past?
§ Mr. BrookeI do not dissent in any way from what my hon. Friend says. However, discretionary grants are not under my direct control.
§ Mr. FreudAs rate capping is likely to cause 50 per cent. of staff places at special schools to be unfilled, will the Minister say what the effect will be on handicapped students?
§ Mr. BrookeI fear that that matter falls outside the scope of the original question.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettDoes the Minister agree that what is wrong in his projections is the policy assumptions on which they are based? Does he accept that we need a clear commitment from the Government that they want to increase steadily the number of mature students, in order to give our country the skills that it will need for the next century?
§ Mr. BrookeThe hon. Gentleman draws attention to the projections that we have made, and those projections underlie the review that we are currently conducting.