Higher Education (Hansard, 14 April 2003)

§ Mr. Boswell
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is his policy to set access targets for higher education. [101720]

§ Margaret Hodge
We have a target to increase participation to higher education towards 50 per cent, of those aged 18–30 by the end of the decade; also to make significant progress year on year towards fair access and to bear down on rates of non-completion.

§ Mr. Brady
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if it is his Department's policy that the Access Regulator for Higher Education should take account of the birth weight of applicants to courses of higher education. [105438]

§ Margaret Hodge
No.

§ Mr. Andrew Turner
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average cost was to public funds of(a) support, (b) teaching and (c) university infrastructure costs attributable to each higher education student in each year since 1997. [105939]
555W

§ Margaret Hodge
Available data on average maintenance per student from public funds and the average student loan taken out from academic years

Student support provision: Academic year 1997–98 to 2001–02¹

£

Academic year

1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 (Provisional)

Average loans^2,3

Student Support Scheme Students^4,5 ⁶— 2,580 3,150 3,100 3,120

Mandatory Award Scheme Students⁷ 1,530 1,520 1,470 1,450 1,500

All Students 1,530 1,870 2,570 2,900 3,070

Average maintenance2

Student Support Scheme Students^{4. 5. 8} ⁶— 690 120 140 ⁹—

Mandatory Award Scheme Students⁷ 1,210 1,190 1,150 1,130 ⁹—

All Students 1,210 1,030 510 270 ⁹—

¹Tuition fees and maintenance support are assessed by Local Education Authorities (LEAs) in England and Wales to eligible students normally domiciled in their area; student loans are available to eligible students normally domiciled in the United Kingdom.

²Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.

³Student loans are available to most 'home' students on full-time undergraduate HE courses (and students on full-time and part-time postgraduate courses of initial teacher training) normally domiciled in the United Kingdom.

⁴New student support arrangements in higher education came into effect in September 1998. For the first year of the new scheme, eligible new entrants received support for living costs through both grants and loans. Grants, which were assessed against family income, on average formed about a quarter of the support available. All students were entitled to a non income-assessed loan, which comprised the remaining three quarters of support available.

⁵New entrants to higher education in 1999–2000, together with those who started in 1998–99, received support for living costs mainly through loans which are partly income-assessed. Grants for living costs are no longer available except for some limited allowances, e.g. for students with dependants; single parent students; and disabled students. Grants for students with dependants and single parent students are income-assessed but the Disabled Students' Allowance is not.

⁶Not applicable.

⁷Students who entered higher education up to 1997–98 and those who entered from 1998–99 under existing arrangements.

⁸Maintenance expenditure for student support scheme students from 1999–2000 relates only to additional allowances/grants available to eligible students for extra help depending on their circumstances, e.g. students with disabilities, students with dependents, single parent students, those incurring certain travel costs, and those who have recently left care.

⁹Not available.

Source:

Student Loans Company, F503G survey of local education authorities

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) provides funding for research, teaching and for ear-marked capital for higher education institutions in England through its funding method. Higher education institutions are able to allocate this according to their own priorities and also draw on other sources of funding, both public and private. This means that separate estimates of public funding per student for teaching and infrastructure are notional.
The total HEFCE allocations for teaching and infrastructure costs for each academic year since 1997, and the implied notional costs per student, are shown in the following table.

Teaching £ million Per Student FTE (£) Infrastructure £ million Per Student FTE (£)

1997–98 2,342 2,546 0 0

1998–99 2,690 2,965 0 0

1999–2000 2,926 3,066 85 89

2000–01 3,020 3,185 150 158

2001–02 3,151 3,295 240 250

2002–03 3,268 3,390 300 311

§ Mr. Andrew Turner
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average debt to(a) the Student Loans Company and (b) others was of a higher education student graduating in each year since 1997. [105943]
556W
1997–98 to 2001–02 (latest year available) are given in the following table:

§ Margaret Hodge
Borrowers are liable to repay their loans from the April following graduation or otherwise leaving their course. The table shows estimates of average student loan debt on entering repayment status for borrowers who became liable to repay their loans in financial years 1998-99 to 2002-03. Figures include those on shorter courses as well as those who have left higher education early.

Average student loan debt on entering repayment status^1,2

£

Financial year entered repayments status³ Mortgage style loans^4,5 Income contingent loans⁶

1998–99 2,870 ⁷—

1999–2000 3,340 ⁷—

2000–01 3,920 2,340

2001–02 4,500 3,530

2002–03 5,160 6,000

¹Data rounded to nearest 10. Includes interest.
²Excludes any repayments which may have been made before borrowers enter repayment status.
³Borrowers enter repayment status in the April following their graduation or otherwise leaving their course.
⁴Loans made to students who entered higher education up to 1997–98 or who entered in 1998–99 under existing arrangements. Includes loans repayable to the private sector following the sale of two portfolios of student loans.
⁵Includes loans sold in the two portfolios of student loans which are administered by the Student Loans Company.
557W
⁶Loans, repayable on an income contingent basis, available to students who entered higher education from academic year 1998–99. These loans were subject to a repayment holiday until April 2000. Includes hardship loans and the fixed rate loans (£500) to eligible part-time students.
⁷Not applicable.
Source:
Student Loans Company
Data on debts for which there is no public subsidy, such as overdrafts and credit cards, and informal debts to family and friends, are not held centrally.

Student support provision: Academic year 1997–98 to 2001–02¹
£
	Academic year
	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02 (Provisional)
Average loans^2,3
Student Support Scheme Students^4,5	⁶—	2,580	3,150	3,100	3,120
Mandatory Award Scheme Students⁷	1,530	1,520	1,470	1,450	1,500
All Students	1,530	1,870	2,570	2,900	3,070
Average maintenance2
Student Support Scheme Students^{4. 5. 8}	⁶—	690	120	140	⁹—
Mandatory Award Scheme Students⁷	1,210	1,190	1,150	1,130	⁹—
All Students	1,210	1,030	510	270	⁹—
¹Tuition fees and maintenance support are assessed by Local Education Authorities (LEAs) in England and Wales to eligible students normally domiciled in their area; student loans are available to eligible students normally domiciled in the United Kingdom.
²Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
³Student loans are available to most 'home' students on full-time undergraduate HE courses (and students on full-time and part-time postgraduate courses of initial teacher training) normally domiciled in the United Kingdom.
⁴New student support arrangements in higher education came into effect in September 1998. For the first year of the new scheme, eligible new entrants received support for living costs through both grants and loans. Grants, which were assessed against family income, on average formed about a quarter of the support available. All students were entitled to a non income-assessed loan, which comprised the remaining three quarters of support available.
⁵New entrants to higher education in 1999–2000, together with those who started in 1998–99, received support for living costs mainly through loans which are partly income-assessed. Grants for living costs are no longer available except for some limited allowances, e.g. for students with dependants; single parent students; and disabled students. Grants for students with dependants and single parent students are income-assessed but the Disabled Students' Allowance is not.
⁶Not applicable.
⁷Students who entered higher education up to 1997–98 and those who entered from 1998–99 under existing arrangements.
⁸Maintenance expenditure for student support scheme students from 1999–2000 relates only to additional allowances/grants available to eligible students for extra help depending on their circumstances, e.g. students with disabilities, students with dependents, single parent students, those incurring certain travel costs, and those who have recently left care.
⁹Not available.
Source:
Student Loans Company, F503G survey of local education authorities

	Teaching £ million	Per Student FTE (£)	Infrastructure £ million	Per Student FTE (£)
1997–98	2,342	2,546	0	0
1998–99	2,690	2,965	0	0
1999–2000	2,926	3,066	85	89
2000–01	3,020	3,185	150	158
2001–02	3,151	3,295	240	250
2002–03	3,268	3,390	300	311

Average student loan debt on entering repayment status^1,2
£
Financial year entered repayments status³	Mortgage style loans^4,5	Income contingent loans⁶
1998–99	2,870	⁷—
1999–2000	3,340	⁷—
2000–01	3,920	2,340
2001–02	4,500	3,530
2002–03	5,160	6,000