§ 36. Mr. RobathanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent research he has undertaken into the proportion of undergraduates at Oxford and Cambridge universities who come from schools in the maintained sector; and what conclusions he has reached. [127957]
§ Mr. WicksCVCP are currently undertaking research into higher education as a follow up to their "Elitism to Inclusion" report which was published in 1998. The Higher Education Funding Council for England are preparing a report entitled "Action on Access"—which will be available in the autumn. The most recent information on access is taken from data collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS) which gives information about previous educational establishment for students normally resident in the UK. These statistics published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England are shown in the following tables.
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UCAS UK-domiciled applicants and acceptances to Cambridge University by previous educational establishment Year of entry 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Number Percentage1 Number Percentage1 Number Percentage1 Number Percentage1 Number Percentage1 Applicants: Independent 3,413 37 3,603 37 3,764 37 3,518 37 3,491 36 State2 6,178 63 6,115 63 6,311 63 5,959 63 6,334 64 Total 9,321 100 9,718 100 10,075 100 9,477 100 9,825 100 Accepted applicants: Independent 1,359 45 1,223 44 1,338 45 1,345 45 1,286 43 State2 1,630 55 1,544 56 1,663 55 1,637 55 1,699 57 Total 2,989 100 2,767 100 3,001 100 2,982 100 2,985 100 1Constituent parts may not sum to total because of rounding. 2Includes Sixth Form Centres, other secondary schools, other educational establishments, and students whose previous establishment was not known. Note:
Information on previous educational establishment is only collected from students normally resident in the UK. HEFCE is now providing:
1. £20 million funding in respect of students recruited and supported from disadvantaged backgrounds which was enhanced by a further £4 million by the Secretary of State when he addressed the AUT on 10 May 2000.
2. £5 million for providing for students with disabilities.
3. Funding premiums for mature and part-time students within the funding model Special funding.
4. £5 million for a special funding programme focusing on developing regional partnerships to improve progression to HE of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and promotion and dissemination of good practice.
5. £2 million from HEFCE to contribute to a £4 million joint fund with the FEFC to improve pathways from FE to HE for disadvantaged groups, through links between HEIs and the new Lifelong Learning Partnerships.
6. £2 million p.a. for Development funding to improve the quality of provision for disabled students.
7. £4 million for HEFCE to administer the Millennium Summer Schools programme under guidance of the DfEE.