HC Deb 02 March 2004 vol 418 cc901-2W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people(a) applied for places on Post Graduate Certificate in Education courses, (b) were offered a place on a course and (c)successfully completed the course; in each year since 1990. [157493]

Mr. Miliband

Data on the number of people offered places on Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses is not collected. The following table shows the numbers of PGCE applicants in each year since 1991/92 and the number of candidates who accepted the offer of a place in each year since 1996/97. These are the earliest years for which this information is available. The number of entrants to PGCE courses is also shown.

Applications1 Acceptances1 Entrants2
England and Wales
1990/91 11,960
1991/92 24,870 15,050
1992/93 31,130 16,500
1993/94 33,650 17,690
1994/95 31,640 19,090
1995/96 33,250 19,330
1996/97 33,240 18,000 19,720
1997/98 33,300 20,430 19,480
1998/99 31,640 19,020 18,790
1999/2000 33,060 19,770 18,880
Applications1 Acceptances1 Entrants2
2000/01 34,860 20,990 21,190
England
2001/02 37,960 20,040 21,260
2002/03 42,570 22,710 23,320
2003/04 46,710 25,350 25,780
Source:
1Graduate Teacher Training Registry
2DFE Recruitment Survey 1990/91 to 1993/94; HESES 1994/95;
TTA Survey of ITT Providers 1995/96 to 2003/04
Note:
Excludes Fast Track—Data for these years not available

The number of candidates who successfully completed PGCE courses in each calendar year from 1990 to 2002, the most recent available, is shown in the following table.

Year of completion Completers
England and Wales1
1990 9,600
1991 10,380
1992 13.460
1993 15,110
1994 16,130
1995 17.330
1996 16,900
1997 17,780
1998 17,150
1999 16,500
2000 16.160
England2
2000 14,850
2001 16,150
2002 16,940
Source:
1DfES Database of Teacher Records
2TTA Performance Profiles

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to widen participation in postgraduate education. [157495]

Alan Johnson

The government are already investing significant sums in widening access to higher education, which will also increase the supply of potential postgraduate students. The additional funding available for science and research (up £1.25 million by 2005/06 compared to 2003/04) will also increase the volume of research and opportunities for postgraduate study. Financial support for postgraduate study is available through the Career Development Loan Scheme which is administered by my Department.