§ 28. Mr. Banksasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent he sees a reduction in the opportunity rate for entry into higher education taking place by 1981.
§ 44. Mr. Gristasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the age group he foresees entering higher education by 1981 compared with the proportion doing so at present.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe planning figure of 640,000 full-time and sandwich course students in Great Britain in 1981 which I announced in November is estimated to make courses of higher education available for all those who are qualified by ability and attainment to pursue them and who wish to do so. It allows for the number of home students under 21 entering higher education in Great Britain, expressed as a proportion of the population aged 18, to rise from 14 per cent. in 1973 to 17 per cent. in 1981.
§ 29. Mr. Crouchasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the cuts in forecast public expenditure in higher education will be distributed.
§ Mr. PrenticeAs compared with the programmes as they stood when the present Government took office in March 1974, the reductions in forecast higher education expenditure in the recent Public Expenditure White Paper are almost entirely attributable to the lower estimate of prospective student demand which I announced in the House on 25th November last. I am discussing the implications346W of this revision with those responsible for the planning of the institutions concerned.