Universities (Hansard, 8 July 2002)

§ Sir Nicholas Winterton
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the link between staffing levels and the quality of teaching and research in universities. [65205]

§ Margaret Hodge
The Department has carried out no specific assessment of links between staffing levels and the quality of teaching and research in universities. However, the recently completed QAA eight-year cycle of subject reviews in higher education, which included an assessment of teaching quality, has identified only 1 per cent. of unsatisfactory provision. In addition, the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise showed that 55 per cent. of research staff now work in departments which contain work of international excellence (rated five or five-star) compared with 31 per cent. in the previous exercise in 1996. Staffing levels in higher education have increased by 10 per cent. over the last five years and so have student numbers.
719W

§ Sir Nicholas Winterton
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the level of funding provision for the university of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology; and what plans she has to increase funding for UMIST. [65206]

§ Margaret Hodge
The funding of individual institutions is determined by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, which allocated total resources of £36.7 million to the university of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology for the academic year 2001–02. For the year 2002–03, it plans to allocate £36.9 million.

§ Sir Nicholas Winterton
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her policy is on amalgamation of universities to create centres of academic excellence; and if she will make a statement. [65208]

Number of students on higher and further education courses-England

Higher education¹ Further education²

Full-time Part-time Total Full-time Part-time Total

1992–93 726,300 425,900 1,188,200 592,000 1,169,400 1,761,400

1993–94 848,800 453,100 1,301,900 646,300 1,282,800 1,929,100

1994–95 903,900 515,400 1,419,300 847,100 2,062,900 2,910,000

1995–96 927,100 567,200 1,494,200 967,900 2,431,800 3,399,700

1996–97 943,900 589,900 1,533,900 1,019,000 2,783,000 3,802,000

1997–98 976,800 591,400 1,568,200 979,100 2,788,200 3,767,300

1998–99 988,400 603,000 1,591,500 961,500 2,700,700 3,662,300

1999–2000 995,300 614,700 1,610,000 939,300 2,668,800 3,608,100

2000–01 1,010,200 641,400 1,651,600 922,700 2,748,700 3,671,400

2001/02³ 1,040,800 650,700 1,691,400 ⁴— ⁴— ⁴—

¹ Census count as at 31 December in years up to 1993–94, and as at 1 December in subsequent years. Covers all home and overseas students on postgraduate and undergraduate courses, including HE students in FE colleges and the Open University.

² Includes FE students in HE institutions in all years, and sixth form colleges as from 1993–94. Due to a change in data collection, the figures for FE sector colleges for the years 1994–95 to 2000–01 are not comparable with those for earlier years; as from 1994–95 the figures are based on a whole year count of students, whereas in previous years they are based on a snapshot count at 1 November. As from 1994–95, includes funded and non-funded students.

³ HE figures are provisional.

⁴ Not available—the whole year count of students in FE sector colleges is collected retrospectively at the end of the academic year.

Note:
Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred; components may therefore not sum to totals.

Number of students on higher and further education courses-England
	Higher education¹	Further education²
	Full-time	Part-time	Total	Full-time	Part-time	Total
1992–93	726,300	425,900	1,188,200	592,000	1,169,400	1,761,400
1993–94	848,800	453,100	1,301,900	646,300	1,282,800	1,929,100
1994–95	903,900	515,400	1,419,300	847,100	2,062,900	2,910,000
1995–96	927,100	567,200	1,494,200	967,900	2,431,800	3,399,700
1996–97	943,900	589,900	1,533,900	1,019,000	2,783,000	3,802,000
1997–98	976,800	591,400	1,568,200	979,100	2,788,200	3,767,300
1998–99	988,400	603,000	1,591,500	961,500	2,700,700	3,662,300
1999–2000	995,300	614,700	1,610,000	939,300	2,668,800	3,608,100
2000–01	1,010,200	641,400	1,651,600	922,700	2,748,700	3,671,400
2001/02³	1,040,800	650,700	1,691,400	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—
¹ Census count as at 31 December in years up to 1993–94, and as at 1 December in subsequent years. Covers all home and overseas students on postgraduate and undergraduate courses, including HE students in FE colleges and the Open University.
² Includes FE students in HE institutions in all years, and sixth form colleges as from 1993–94. Due to a change in data collection, the figures for FE sector colleges for the years 1994–95 to 2000–01 are not comparable with those for earlier years; as from 1994–95 the figures are based on a whole year count of students, whereas in previous years they are based on a snapshot count at 1 November. As from 1994–95, includes funded and non-funded students.
³ HE figures are provisional.
⁴ Not available—the whole year count of students in FE sector colleges is collected retrospectively at the end of the academic year.