HC Deb 28 February 2001 vol 363 cc649-52W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the combined total of students in further and higher education in each of the past five years was expressed as (a) total student enrolments in publicly funded institutions and (b) total full-time equivalents. [150118]

Mr. Wicks

[holding answer 15 February 2001]: The information requested is contained in the tables.

Higher education student numbers have steadily increased over recent years. Further education student numbers, on the other hand, have fallen slightly. The main reason for this is the large fall in franchised provision. Previous participation figures were artificially inflated by franchising, some of which offered courses of dubious value. I remain determined to raise student numbers in FE at the same time as I raise the quality of the provision on offer.

Table 1—headcount of student numbers in higher education Thousands
Year Number
1995–961 1,355
1996–971 1,382
1997–981 1,414
1998–991 1,442
1999–20002 1,461
1 Actual
2 Provisional

Source:

HESA, December record

Table 2—full-time equivalent (FTE) student numbers in higher education Thousands
Year Number
1995–961 1,058
1996–971 1,077
1997–981 1,106
1998–991 1,123
1999–20002 1,134
1 Actual
2 Provisional

Source:

HESA, December record

Table 3—headcount of student numbers in further education Thousands
Year Number
1995–961 4,029
1996–971 4,463
1997–981 4,463
1998–991 4,335
1999–20002 4,274
1Actual
2 Provisional

Source:

FEFC

Table 4—full-time equivalent (FTE) student numbers in further education Thousands
Year Number
1995–961 1,198
1996–971 1,215
1997–981 1,160
1998–992 1,149
1999–20002 —
1Actual
2 Provisional

Notes:

  1. 1. All figures are on a whole year basis, and are for England only.
  2. 2. In 1998–99, three colleges transferred from the FE sector to the HE sector. Student numbers in these colleges are included in Tables 3 and 4 until 1997–98, and in Tables 1 and 2 from 1998–99.
  3. 3. In 1999–2000, one FE sector college merged with an HE institution. Student numbers in this college are included in Tables 3 and 4 until 1998–99; from 1999–2000 this college is considered part of the HE sector.
  4. 4. While funding for HNC and HND students in FE sector colleges transferred from FEFC to HEFCE in 1999–2000, their numbers appear in Table 3 throughout (as FEFC-funded students until 1998–99, then as non FEFC-funded students), and in Table 4 until 1998–99. Their numbers do not appear in Tables 1 or 2 in any year.

Table 1

The data include only those students on higher education courses at publicly funded HE institutions. Includes home, EU and overseas students filling places funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England or by other sources. Includes students on Open University courses.

Table 2

The data include only those students on higher education courses at publicly funded HE institutions. Includes home, EU and overseas students filling places funded by the Higher Education Funding

£
Project Description Start date Completion date Estimated project cost
Correspondence handling Enhancements to the system introduced in April 2000 for moving and tracking correspondence electronically April 2001 October 2001 350,000
Infrastructure upgrades Replacement of PCs and servers April 2001 March 2001 3,000,000

Following on from the achievements the Employment Service (ES) has made in the last 12 months the ES is committed to improving its main advisory tool, the Labour Market System, which should see major improvements by December 2001 at a cost of £9.2 million.

The Modernising ES programme is already delivering new and exciting ways in helping customers come closer to the labour market, e.g. Jobpoints and Internet Jobbank, and the next steps are for the ES to engage with DSS colleagues on how best to take forward the IT

Project Description End date Estimated cost (£)
Teaching and learning initiatives
UK Online Centres Funding for ICT learning centres in disadvantaged communities Ongoing 100 million
National Grid for Learning (Schools) Further development of the NGfl programme to equip and connect schools, colleges and other places of learning. Ongoing. All schools to be connected to the internet by 2002 1 billion over 3 years 2001–04
ICT in Further Education Capital Infrastructure (National Learning Network) The planned investment in ICT will help support colleges as the demand for ICT skills; electronic delivery of learning and access to knowledge and information continues to grow. Colleges will need to take advantage of best practice in the use of ICT, and they will need to exploit ICT to deliver new ways of learning through flexible, attractive and convenient mechanisms Ongoing 74 million
ICT in Higher Education Provision to support learning and effective management in HE institutions Ongoing 300 million

Council for England or by other sources. Includes students on Open University courses. The full-time equivalent factor used for part-time students is 0.35.

Table 3

The data include FEFC-funded and non FEFC-funded students in FE sector colleges and FEFC-funded students in External Institutions, Specialist Designated Institutions and Higher Education Institutions.

Table 4

In line with the normal publishing convention, Further Education FTE data include FEFC-funded and non FEFC-funded FE students in FE sector colleges, FEFC-funded FE students in External Institutions, Specialist Designated Institutions and Higher Education Institutions, and non FEFC-funded FE students in Adult Education Centres. Also included are FEFC-funded HE students in FE sector colleges. FTE figures are not yet available for 1999–2001.

Source:

ISR; FEFC Aggregate Record