HL Deb 28 November 1984 vol 457 cc893-4
Baroness Lockwood

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to respond to the advice of the University Grants Committee and the National Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education on A Strategy for Higher Education into the 1990;and whether they accept the principles contained in the joint statement from these two bodies.

The Earl of Swinton

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science intends to bring forward the Government's proposals for the future development of higher education in the form of a Green Paper in the early part of next year. The paper will take account of the published advice of the University Grants Committee and the National Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education, including that contained in their joint statement. Noble Lords will understand that I cannot anticipate the Government's proposals.

Baroness Lockwood

My Lords, in thanking the noble Earl the Minister for that reply, may I ask whether we can be assured that a broader and more flexible access to higher education, as envisaged in the joint statement, will become the basis for the Government's projections relating to numbers and also for providing future resources?

The Earl of Swinton

My Lords, both the University Grants Committee and the national advisory body have published reports of their working parties on continuing education and have incorporated some aspects of their conclusions into their strategy advice to the Government. The response to this advice is currently under consideration.

Baroness David

My Lords, will the Minister convey to his right honourable and honourable friends the Ministers that it is very urgent to have this response, particularly in the light of the news we had this last week that 4,000 fewer applications have gone into UCCA for university entrance this coming year? Moreover, when the request is only for access, is it not very alarming?

The Earl of Swinton

My Lords, as I have said, we are going to publish a Green Paper on this matter. But I should point out to the noble Baroness that since 1979–80, when the previous Conservative Government took office, the number of home full-time and sandwich students in higher education in Great Britain has increased from 455,000 to 519,000 in 1983–84.

Lord Kilmarnock

My Lords, if we are going to have to wait a bit for the Green Paper, can the noble Earl tell us what age participation rate in higher education the Government are aiming for in the second half of this decade? Will the noble Earl say whether the Government support the higher DES student number projection or the lower one?

The Earl of Swinton

My Lords, I do not think that your Lordships will have to wait very long because we are nearly in December and the White Paper is expected to come out in the very early part of next year. So, as I said previously, I cannot anticipate any of the Government's proposals.

Lord Hankey

My Lords, in drawing up their Green Paper will the Government bear in mind the great need for the system of higher education to produce the talents, technologies and knowledge which are needed for young people to provide what industry requires?

The Earl of Swinton

Yes, my Lords. I think that that is very much in the forefront of my right honourable friend's mind.

Baroness David

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether it is to be a Green Paper or a White Paper? He said at first that it would be a Green Paper and then later he said that it would be a White Paper.

The Earl of Swinton

My Lords, I am sorry; I must make it absolutely clear that it will be a Green Paper.

Back to