HC Deb 17 June 2002 vol 387 cc10-3W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 3 December 2001,Official Report, column 68W, regarding unit spending per student, what the percentage change in unit of funding per student was in 2000–01; and what she expects it to be in 2001–02. [50428]

Margaret Hodge

Between 1989 and 1997, planned public funding fell by 36 per cent. from just under £7,600 to just over £4,800 per full time equivalent student.

The Dearing report concluded that higher education institutions could not absorb further reductions of over 6 per cent. in the funding per student, which were in the plans of the previous Government.

Following the last spending review, the Government's spending plans for higher education have reversed the decline in funding over the last decade. Publicly planned funding for higher education announced in November 2000, did reflect a 0.4 per cent. decrease in funding per full time equivalent student in real terms in 2000–01, compared to the previous year. But for 2001–02, the unit of funding in real terms was planned to increase by 0.7 per cent. compared to 2000–01.

In addition to the funding for teaching and research the higher education sector received an additional £166 million in 1999–2000 and £242.5 million in 2000–01 for capital and to help widen access to higher education. It is planned that a further £359 million will be available in 2001–02.

Proportion of UK domiciled applicants accepted through UCAS1 to full-time undergraduate HE courses, by subject group, course type and social class2
Social class3 (per cent.) Accepted applicants
Subject group and course type4 Professional (I) Intermediate (II) Skilled non-manual manual (IIIN) Skilled manual manual (IIIM) Partly skilled (IV) Unskilled (V) Known total Grand total5
Medicine/dentistn.
First degree 39 40 9 8 4 I 5,940 6,523
Subjects allied to medicine
First degree 13 43 14 18 10 2 19,966 23,265
HND 8 39 14 23 12 3 740 1,025
Total 12 43 14 18 11 2 20,766 24,290
Biological sciences
First degree 17 16 13 18 7 2 14,701 16,432
HND 8 32 16 26 14 2 192 235
Total 17 45 13 16 7 2 14,663 16,667
Agriculture and related subjects
First degree 16 51 11 13 8 1 2,184 2,495
HND 8 47 13 17 13 2 1,039 1,298
Total 14 50 11 14 10 1 3,223 3,793
Physical science
First degree 19 44 13 16 7 2 10,927 12,028
HND 11 32 14 26 11 6 202 263
Total 19 44 13 16 7 2 11,129 12,292
Mathematical sciences and informatics
First degree 13 38 15 20 9 3 21,697 26,343
HND 8 35 16 24 11 5 4,205 5,915
Total 12 39 16 21 9 3 25,902 32,268
Engineering and technology
First degree 18 41 11 19 8 2 13,234 15,452
HND 12 34 12 28 10 3 1,097 1,444
Total 18 41 11 20 8 2 14,331 16,895
Architecture, building and planning
First degree 16 43 12 20 7 2 4,162 4,927
HND 9 32 12 34 10 1 386 477
Total 16 42 12 21 8 2 4,527 5,404
Social studies
First degree 15 45 14 16 8 2 31,727 38,716
HND 5 31 16 26 18 5 579 978
Total 15 44 14 18 8 2 32,406 37,694
Business and administrative studies
First degree 12 45 16 18 8 2 25,753 30,104
HND 8 39 16 23 10 4 4,676 6,284
Total 11 44 15 19 8 2 30,429 36,355
Mass communications and documentation
First degree 11 45 16 19 8 2 7,208 5,475
HND 6 38 17 25 12 4 1,145 1,529
Total 10 44 15 20 9 2 8,354 10,004

With this additional funding the unit of funding per student provided by this Department for 2001–02 in cash terms, will be £5,350.

The Government are investing, in partnership with the Welcome Trust, a total of £1.75 billion in science infrastructure between 1999–2000 to 2003–04.

Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the courses of study in higher education institutions, broken down by the proportion of undergraduate students of each social class. [61305]

Margaret Hodge

The available information on the social class of undergraduate students in UK higher education institutions relates to accepted applicants to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and not all undergraduate courses and students. The UCAS data can be broken down into broad subject categories and into First Degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) courses. The latest UCAS figures are shown in the table.

Proportion of UK domiciled applicants accepted through UCAS1 to full-time undergraduate HE courses, by subject group, course type and social class2
Social class3 (per cent.) Accepted applicants
Subject group and course type4 Professional (I) Intermediate (II) Skilled non-manual manual (IIIN) Skilled manual manual (IIIM) Partly skilled (IV) Unskilled (V) Known total Grand total5
Languages and related disciplines
First degree 16 48 14 13 8 1 14,905 16,573
Humanities
First degree 19 47 13 13 6 1 9,859 11,045
HND 14 14 14 29 14 14 7 9
Total 19 47 15 13 6 1 9,866 11,054
Creative arts
First degree 13 46 14 17 8 2 23,408 28,709
HND 8 38 17 23 11 2 3,888 5,070
Total 13 45 14 18 9 2 27,074 33,779
Education
First degree 9 40 16 21 12 2 12,010 13,731
HND 5 34 16 28 15 2 530 697
Total 9 40 16 21 12 2 12,540 14,428
Combined studies
First degree 14 45 14 17 6 2 38,558 45,238
HND 7 39 18 26 11 3 1,860 2,191
Total 14 45 14 17 8 2 40,208 47,429
All first degree courses 15 44 14 17 8 2 256,259 298,057
All HND courses 8 37 16 24 11 4 20,224 27,415
Total all courses 14 44 14 18 6 2 276,483 325,472
1Covers all UK higher education institutions and some specialist colleges of further education.
2Year of entry: 2001.
3The social class percentages are based on the number of accepted applicants for which social class is known.
4First degree or HND courses. HNDs are not offered in all subject areas.
5Including unknowns.

Source:

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).