Higher Education (Hansard, 24 February 1998)

§ Mr. Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will implement the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education recommendations for additional funding for the higher education sector in 1998–99 and 1999–2000. [31246]

§ Dr. Howells
We have announced a package of measure which will allow the higher education sector to spend an extra £165 million in 1998–99. This includes an additional £125 million for universities and colleges in England to maintain and improve quality and standards, and to make a start on the backlog of maintenance and equipment replacement. The package meets the Dearing Committee's first priority of limiting the real terms reduction in funding per student to 1 per cent.
Decisions for 1999–2000 and beyond will be taken in the context of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review. But we have made clear that savings from the new funding arrangements for higher education would be used to improve quality, standards and opportunities for all in further and higher education.

§ Mr. Dorrell
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of pupils from(a) grammar schools, (b) independent schools, (c) grant-maintained schools and (d) comprehensive schools went into higher education in 1997–98. [30732]

§ Dr. Howells
The information is not available in the form requested. The following table gives the prior educational establishment of students who accepted 201W full-time and sandwich undergraduate places through the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) in Autumn 1997.

Numbers of students accepting¹ places in higher education in autumn 1997 by prior educational establishment

UCAS acceptances

Number Per cent.

Total maintained, 100,226 40

of which:

Grammar schools 18,643 7

Comprehensive schools 77,241 31

Other maintained 4,342 2

Independent schools 31,342 12

Further education colleges 103,894 41

Other 16,959 7

Total² 252,421 100

¹ Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data cover students of all ages accepting places on full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses throughout the UK.

² The total excludes 51 thousand students whose prior education establishments are not known.

Numbers of students accepting¹ places in higher education in autumn 1997 by prior educational establishment
	UCAS acceptances
	Number	Per cent.
Total maintained,	100,226	40
of which:
Grammar schools	18,643	7
Comprehensive schools	77,241	31
Other maintained	4,342	2
Independent schools	31,342	12
Further education colleges	103,894	41
Other	16,959	7
Total²	252,421	100
¹ Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data cover students of all ages accepting places on full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses throughout the UK.
² The total excludes 51 thousand students whose prior education establishments are not known.