§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many places for students taking foundation degrees the Government are planning to fund in 2004/05. [143657]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Higher Education Funding Council for England is in the process of allocating up to 10,000 additional full-time equivalent foundation degree places for the academic year 2004/05. Bidding closed on 3 December and the outcome will be announced in February 2004.
These places will be additional to any already in the system and planned for by individual institutions. The Higher Education Students Early Statistics survey (2002) data for the academic year 2002/03 showed 12,417 students (headcount—a mix of full and part-time) studying for a foundation degree. Early data on the numbers studying for a foundation degree in the current academic year will not be available until January 2004.
Outside specific Additional Number Exercises such at the current one, the Higher Education Funding Council for England does not normally plan the detailed funding of places. The number and type of places offered are a matter for the funded institution to determine within the resources available to them.