UNIVERSITIES (ENTRANTS FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS).

HC Deb 07 July 1938 vol 338 cc614-5W

Mr. Harvey

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will give the figures on which it is calculated that 42 per cent. of the entrants to the Universities come from public elementary schools?

Mr. Lindsay

The figure of 42 per cent. was arrived at on the basis of the returns supplied to the University Grants Committee by the Universities for the academic year 1934–35. For that year out of some 10,500 new entrants to the Universities in England and Wales coming from homes within the United Kingdom, about 4,400 began their education in a public elementary school.

I would also refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for the Shipley Division of the West Riding of Yorkshire (Mr. Creech Jones) on 30th June last, a copy of which I am sending him.