§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the Government's latest estimate of the number of students who will be receiving full-time education in universities and polytechnics, respectively, in the years 1976 and 1981.
§ Mr. PrenticeAs I said in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford (Mr. Luard) on 25th November 1974—[Vol. 882, c.39.]—I now regard 640,000 as the best estimate and planning figure for full-time and sandwich course students in higher education in Great Britain in 1981. I am discussing its implications for universities and for maintained institutions, including polytechnics, with those responsible for their planning. The corresponding figure for 1976 is about 525,000.