§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students he estimates will defer entry to university in the academic years(a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2006–07; and what action he will take to smooth any variation in numbers taking up their courses in those years. [126780]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Department does not have information to forecast the number of students that will defer entry to university in the academic years in question.
We have set out our plans for funding and student numbers in the period up to 2005–06 in the HE White Paper and in the Secretary of State's Grant Letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England. We have no plans to intervene in the normal processes of application and admissions to universities.
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§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he has made an estimate of the number of pupils likely to attend overseas universities as a result of the impact of Office for Fair Access on UK university admissions. [118066]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Department has made no such estimates.
The Government are committed to increasing and widening participation in higher education, and the Office of Fair Access is one of the policies that supports that goal.