HC Deb 06 June 1978 vol 951 cc17-20W
Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to her Written Answer to the hon. Member for Blackpool, South, Official Report, 22nd May, column 410, by what method the net cost per place appropriate to overseas students in institutions of higher and further education in the United Kingdom is calculated.

Mr. Oakes

Since it is not practicable to differentiate the cost of places at educational establishments by reference to the place of origin of the students occupying them, the net cost per place at non-university institutions of higher and further education had to be assumed to be the same for home and for overseas students. The costs used in the answer given on 22nd May 1978 were calculated by dividing net recurrent expenditure in financial year 1976–77 for each category of institution by the numbers of students attending, and estimating, by means of weighting, the different costs of advanced level and of non-advanced level course places.

Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her estimate of the current net total cost to public funds of all the places in universities in the United Kingdom occupied by students from developing countries.

Mr. Oakes

The number of students from developing countries in universities in the academic year 1976–77 was 24,848. Applying to this figure the appropriate net cost per place would give an estimated cost to public funds of £31.9 million at 1977 survey prices. This cost excludes debt charges and capital expenditure.

Mr. Kershaw

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students supported to any degree from public funds, whether by their own countries or Her Majesty's Government, are in the United Kingdom at colleges of higher education (a) from the Commonwealth, and (b) from the EEC; and how many United Kingdom students are in the Commonwealth and in the EEC.

Mr. Oakes

In 1976–77 there were about 28,000 students from the Commonwealth and 2,400 from the EEC countries following higher education courses in the United Kingdom. Most benefited from the fact that the fees charged to them did not in general cover the full cost of tuition, but the extent to which they were otherwise supported from public funds is not known. According to the latest UNESCO sources, in 1974 about 9,000 United Kingdom students were following higher education courses in the Commonwealth and 3,500 in the EEC.

Mr. Kershaw

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what fees are paid by United Kingdom students at higher educational level in the EEC in each country; and what fees EEC students pay in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Oakes

Detailed information about fees in EEC countries is given in "Higher Education in the European Community—A Handbook for Students (1977)", copies of which are in the Library. The fees recommended for all overseas students on courses of higher education in the United Kingdom for 1978–79, including EEC students, are £925 for postgraduates and £705 for undergraduates and students of advanced further education.

Mr. Kershaw

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any arrangements to be made for EEC students in the United Kingdom as a result of EEC document "Admission to Institutions of Higher Education of Students from other Member States" will also apply to comparable students from the Commonwealth.

Mr. Oakes

The document was solely concerned with EEC requirements, but in considering it we shall take account of the needs of students from other countries, including the Commonwealth.

Mr. George

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage of students going on to higher and further education in Walsall, Hartlepool, Blackburn, Rochdale, Sefton, St. Helens, Wigan, Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sandwell, Brent, Ealing, Haringey and Wandsworth, respectively.

Mr. Oakes

I regret that this information is not available in the detail requested. The Department carries out an annual survey based on a one-in-10 sample of those leaving school, which includes information on the destination of school leavers where this is known by the school. Due to sample size and the incidence of non-response on pupils' destinations, results at LEA level would not be reliable statistically. Some school leaver statistics at regional level are published annually in Statistics of Education, Volume 2.

The numbers of students from each local education authority entering teacher training courses, and the numbers taking up full value awards for other courses—mainly on higher education—are given in Statistics of Education, Volume 5. These numbers are also expressed per 1,000 of the estimated average 18 to 19 age-group resident in the authority.

Copies of both these annual publications are available in the Library.