§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Prime Minister whether it is the Government's policy that students in higher education should pursue their studies at an institution within travelling distance from their parents' home regardless of the circumstances.
§ The Prime MinisterThis Government, like their predecessors, believe that there is merit in students studying from the parental home where that is practicable.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Prime Minister what proportion of the population aged 18 to 21 years receives higher education in the United Kingdom compared with Germany, Japan, France and the United States of America.
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§ The Prime MinisterInformation in the form requested is not readily available. Comparisons of participation rates in higher education between countries are influenced by the structure of higher education in each country, in particular by the age of entry and the length of course. In some countries students enter higher education later than in the United Kingdom and take longer to qualify.
A meaningful comparison can be obtained by showing all new entrants to higher education as a percentage of the age group within the typical age range for the country in question. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has published statistics on this basis. In the table column 1 shows the age range encompassing at least 70 per cent. of all entrants to full-time higher education in each country, the yearly average size of which forms the basis for the calculation of participation. For example for the United Kingdom the size of the typical year group is the total number of 18 and 19-year-olds divided by two. Column 2 shows new entrants to higher education in 1982 as a percentage of the age group in the typical age range.
Participation in Higher Education 1982 1 2 Age range covering 70 per cent, of entry to higher education Numbers entering Higher Education for the first time in 1982 as a percentage of the size of the average year group in Column 1 France* 18–20 29.0 Germany (Federal Republic) 19–21 21.2 Japan† 18 34.2 United Kingdom‡║ 18–19 30.0 United States of America†‡¶ 18 61.7 * Excluding new entrants to "Grandes Ecoles" and some non-university colleges. † Includes new entrants to private colleges. ‡ Full-time and part time. ║ Excludes post graduates and others known to have a higher education qualification, excludes overseas students. ¶ 1981. Sources: OECD, "Education Statistics for the United Kingdom" 1984 edition.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Prime Minister what statistical information she has concerning the level of Government contribution to the cost of higher education in the United Kingdom and in other countries so far as the student's contribution is concerned; and if she will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the United Kingdom's principal overseas competitors how central and local government finance the places of students at universities, distinguishing tuition fees from maintenance.
§ The Prime MinisterIn 1982–83 students' families were asked to contribute a sum equivalent to about 5.6 per cent. of the Government's total expenditure on higher education in the United Kingdom. Information on other countries is not available for the purpose of comparisons with the United Kingdom. The latest available information 609W on the financing of higher education overseas is contained within statistical bulletin 9/84 of the Department of Education and Science, a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Prime Minister what information she has about the extent to which university students in Germany, France and Italy are required to pay the whole of their tuition fees; and if she will publish in the Official Report a table showing the extent of any derogations from this rule.
§ The Prime MinisterI understand that university students are not required to pay tuition fees in the Federal Republic of Germany or in France, but that they are required to do so in Italy. I have no information about any derogations from those practices.