§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the numbers of students in higher education for each year from 1990 to 2017 if steady progress to the attainment of 30 per cent. age participation were maintained between 1990 and 2015.
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Mr. JacksonOur latest projection indicates full-time equivalent student numbers rising from about 760,000 in 1988 to about 820,000 in 1992. Numbers are then expected to level off until 1995 as a result of the substantial decline in the relevant age group before rising again to about 890,000 by the end of the century. These totals projected are formed in part by age participation indices for young home initial entrants to higher education of 15, 19 and 23 per cent. for 1988, 1992 and 2000 respectively. Student numbers in higher education have not been projected beyond the turn of the century.