§ Mr. Ian BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of the Government's policy on increasing the proportion of the population taking a first degree. [54503]
§ Mr. MudieThe Government have demonstrated their commitment to the principle that anyone who has the capability for higher education should have the opportunity to benefit from it through the expenditure plans announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 15 July 1998,Official Report, column 411–13. These will allow for some 35,000 extra full-time and part-time students in higher education in England in the academic year 1999–2000 and will give scope for widening access to higher education and increasing the proportion of the population taking a first degree or other undergraduate course. Further details will be announced in due course.
§ Mr. Ian BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his estimate of how many United Kingdom students will start degree courses in England and Wales in September; and how many started in(a) 1997 and (b) 1996. [54502]
§ Mr. MudieThe information for 1996 and 1997 is given in the table:
Home entrants1 to undergraduate courses in Higher Education Institutions England and Wales thousand Full-time Part-time Total 1996–97 First degree 244.6 26.7 271.4 Other undergraduate 42.8 82.5 125.4 Total 287.5 109.3 396.7 1997–982 First degree 252.9 25.7 278.5 Other undergraduate 41.8 86.7 128.5 Total 294.7 112.3 407.6 1 Figures exclude the Open University because changes to the way their data are reported between the two years would otherwise distort the comparisons 2 Provisional The Department does not publish forecasts of entrants to higher education. It is therefore too early to say how many students will start a degree course in September 1998.