HC Deb 07 July 1987 vol 119 cc185-6
10. Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how many he intends to increase the numbers attending polytechnics.

Mr. Jackson

The Government are planning for a further increase of 50,000 in the number of higher education students by 1990. Actual numbers, and where they study, will depend on various factors, in particular on the recruitment decisions of individual institutions.

Mrs. Bottomley

Is that not a recognition of the vital part that polytechnics have come to play in the provision of higher education during the past two decades, especially in vocational and technological courses and their links with industry? What benefits does my hon. Friend expect from his proposals to reform the administration of polytechnics?

Mr. Jackson

As my hon. Friend has said, the polytechnics are booming and are educating more students than ever before. There were 220,000 students in 1985, which is 60,000 more than in 1979. Our new proposals for the governing of polytechnics and other colleges will strengthen those institutions links with local business, ensure a strong and direct voice for the employers on the courses that are offered and the research that is undertaken, help to foster entrepreneurial attitudes and make available skills and experience to those institutions so that they can govern themselves more efficiently and achieve better value for money.

Mr. Madden

Is the Minister aware that the Iraqi embassy has written to the heads of all polytechnics and other education institutions asking for information about Iraqi students who are privately funded? Will he take urgent steps to ensure that no information is given to the Iraqi embassy about such students, and will he tell the Iraqi embassy that trying to intimidate those students who oppose the regime in Iraq is quite unacceptable?

Mr. Jackson

I was not aware of the circumstances to which the hon. Gentleman referred, but I am sure that the Foreign Office will have noted his points.

Mr. Wells

What steps is my hon. Friend taking to improve quality in the polytechnics that he is supporting so lavishly? Does he think that his new regime will expand the quality and the resources available to those institutions?

Mr. Jackson

The Government's aim is to improve quality in all institutions of higher education and the White Paper set out proposals for doing so. Institutions can play their own part by establishing systematic arrangements for staff training and appraisal. We look to the validating bodies and HMI, through its activities, to act as guardians of standards. As my hon. Friend knows, resources are decided annually.

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

How much extra money will there be for the extra students? We welcome it, but we are worried that there will be insufficient money to pay for the expansions about which the Minister is talking.

Mr. Jackson

Resources are reviewed annually as an element of the public expenditure process and this is bound to take account of all the relevant factors, including the number of students in the system.

Mr. Thurnham

Will my hon. Friend confirm that selected institutions of higher education can expect to benefit equally from his welcome proposals?

Mr. Jackson

As my hon. Friend knows, the list of polytechnics and colleges that will benefit from these proposals was published in the White Paper. We shall look forward to legislating on that point later this year.