§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the extent of the market research commissioned by his Department to sample the views of students, potential students and people in the wider community in respect of further and higher education in Scotland; and if he will make available the questions to be asked and the results; and who within the wider community will be consulted.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 9 November 1992]: As part of the process of preparation of the Scottish further and higher education charter, the Scottish Office Education Department has commissioned market research. It will seek the views of a representative sample of almost 1,000 people in Scotland, approximately half of whom will be current or potential students in further and higher education, and the others a cross-section of the population including parents of students and others in the wider community.
The aim of the research is to ascertain what consumers expect of futher and higher education services, what aspects of such provision they regard as most essential, and what they would expect to see in a charter for further and higher education.
The findings will be used to inform the preparation of the charter. No decision has yet been made about the separate publication of the findings or of the questions asked.
In addition to the research, widespread consultation with a range of educational, employment and student bodies has already been undertaken; further consultation on the development of the charter will be carried out.