HC Deb 16 December 1999 vol 341 cc288-90W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of the final costs of further education delivery was accounted for by staffing costs in the most recent year for which information is available. 11024631

Mr. Wicks

[holding answer 14 December 1999]: In 1997–98, 62.5 per cent. of the costs of delivering further education provision by colleges was accounted for by staffing costs.

Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of further education revenues was raised by user charges in the most recent year for which information is available. [102468]

Mr. Wicks

For the 1997–98 academic year, from available college data, 8 per cent. of college revenue came from tuition fees.

Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportions of higher education revenues were derived from(a) publicly financed student fees, (b) privately financed student fees, (c) block grant HEFCE funding, (d) contract funding, (e) selective research grant funding, (f) charitable funds and (g) other sources of finance, in the most recent year for which information is available. [102467]

Mr. Wicks

The following table shows the available figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for total income to UK higher education institutions in 1997–98. The HESA figures do not separately identify publicly and privately financed fees. However, figures from the funding letter issued to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) by the Secretary of State on 23 November show estimated tuition fee income to English institutions in respect of home and other EU domiciled full-time students in 1999–2000 as £243 million through private contributions and £561 million from public sources.

Income of higher education institutions in the UK 1997–98
Category of income £ million Percentage
Academic fees1 2,485 21
Block grant HEFCE funding2 4,508 39

Income of higher education institutions in the UK 1997–98
Category of income £million Percentage
Contract funding3 1,134 10
Selective research grant4 555 5
Charitable funds 399 3
Other sources of finance5 2,536 22
Total income 11,617 100
1Includes full-time HE course fees and part-time credit bearing HE course fees.
2Includes recurrent, capital and special initiative HE grants and some research funding.
3Includes contracts from central and local government, UK industry and commerce, and EU and other overseas sources.
4Includes grants from OST Research Councils and research training support grants.
5Includes Other Operating Income, Endowment Income and Interest Receivable.

Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the total value was of student loans paid in(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98 and (c) 1998–99. [102879]

Mr. Wicks

In the 1996–97 academic year, the total value of student loans paid was £877.2 million; in 1997–98 academic year £941 million; and in 1998–99 academic year £1,233 million.

Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the resource cost of student loans in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99. [102884]

Mr. Wicks

The resource cost for student loans was £369 million in 1997–98 and an estimated £440 million in 1998–99.

Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if public Further Education Colleges have access to the New Opportunities Fund. [102469]

Mr. Wicks

Further Education Colleges can apply to the New Opportunities Fund's existing programmes, usually in partnership with other organisations.

Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what safeguards he will introduce to damp any changes in the funding of Further Education Colleges consequent on the transition from the FEFC to the Learning and Skills Council. [102471]

Mr. Wicks

The Government recognise the importance, not only to colleges, but to all providers of education and training, of stable funding arrangements, particularly during the transition to the Learning and Skills Council. Transition issues will be addressed in the post-16 consultation document on funding, which will be published shortly inviting partners' views on this issue.

Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those further education colleges which have received accredited college status; and what further arrangements will apply for the maintenance of this status and its extension to other colleges. [102470]

Mr. Wicks

The following colleges have received accredited status:

  • Knowsley Community College
  • Blackpool and the Fylde College
  • Havering College of Further and Higher Education
  • Greenhead Sixth Form College
  • Bishop Burton College
  • John Leggott Sixth Form College
  • St. Charles Catholic Sixth Form College
  • South Cheshire College
  • Stephenson College
  • Strode College
  • Trowbridge College
  • Worthing Sixth Form College.

The introduction of accredited status has enabled the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) to recognise all-round competence in college performance. The criteria for accreditation are demanding, and colleges that fulfil them must demonstrate continuing commitment to the achievement of high standards across the range of their activity. The FEFC national accreditation panel will continue to meet to consider further applications from colleges in the period until April 2001. There will be consultations early next year on post-16 quality assurance arrangements after April 2001.

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