HC Deb 18 May 1994 vol 243 cc470-1W
Mr. Maginnis

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many third level students from Northern Ireland have enrolled in universities or colleges in(a) Eire, (b) Great Britain, (c) other European Community countries and (d) other non-European countries in each year since 1984–85; and what has been the cost or benefit, in each category, to the Northern Ireland education budget.

Mr. Ancram

Available information relates to full-time undergraduate students and is as follows:

Eire Great Britain Other EC1 and non-EC
1984–85 578 5,051
1985–86 489 5,632
1986–87 462 6,185
1987–88 396 6,968
1988–89 367 7,560 4
1989–90 406 8,415
1990–91 424 8,970
1991–92 408 9,524
1992–93 803 10,836 11
1993–94 1,120 11,962 10

Notes:

1 Separate data is not available.

Figures for 1993–94 are provisional.

Information on costs is not available for the years requested. However, the estimated cost to public funds during the years 1991–92 to 1993–94 for fees and maintenance awards for students from Northern Ireland attending institutions/colleges in the Republic of Ireland is as follows:

Cost (£)
1991–92 1,530,000
1992–93 2,057,000
1993–94 3,313,000

1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94
Eire 178 305 441 764 1,066 1,314 1,516 1,718 2,018 2,288
Scotland 66 94 110 114 101 95 96 75 72 64
England 534 637 629 623 560 537 596 591 575 526
Wales 22 20 27 30 26 22 18 18 17 14
Other EC 9 32 68 65 84 109 185 189 235 334
Other non EC 270 245 341 405 484 448 405 382 352 372

Information in the exact form and covering the period requested is not available. However, the estimated cost to the Northern Ireland educational budget for fees for students from the Republic of Ireland enrolled in Northern Ireland universities/colleges during the years 1991–92 to 1993–94 is as follows:

Year Cost £
1991–92 3,800,000
1992–93 4,500,000
1993–94 4,600,000