HC Deb 01 April 2004 vol 419 cc1549-50W
Bob Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will commission research into the number of post-A level students who take a gap year before entering university over the next three years in order to help evaluate the impact of changes in higher education student fees and indebtedness. [163989]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

The Government will continue to monitor the number of students accepted to university with deferred entry, as made available by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

In addition information will be available through the independent commission established to consider all aspects of the new arrangements based on the first three years of variable fees. The Terms of Reference of this commission were announced by the Secretary of State on 26 January 2004.

Bob Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what(a) proportion and (b) number of post-A level students took a gap year before entering university in each of the last five years. [163991]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

The available information comes from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and covers deferred entry for 18-year-old, full-time, accepted applicants to first degree and HMD study in the UK. Figures are in the following table.

UK domiciled 18-year-old applicants, accepted through UCAS with Deferred entry
Year of applications Total accepted applicants Total accepted on deferred basis Percentage deferred
1998/99 148,301 14,261 9.6
1999/00 146,670 14,975 10.2
2000/01 147,986 16,007 10.8
2001/02 156,790 18,840 12.0
2002/03 161,032 19,600 12.2

Source

UCAS.

This information excludes students who defer making their application to UCAS until they are already taking a gap year.