§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many mature students there are at Magee college, Londonderry;
(2) how many mature students now taking the foundation studies course at Magee college, Londonderry, are receiving a grant in respect of that course from the education authorities in Northern Ireland; what is the average amount of such grants and the maximum and the minimum grants being paid; and what is the total sum for the current academic year;
(3) how many students at present are taking the foundation study course at Magee college, Londonderry; and of these, how many are mature students and how many are married mature students.
§ Mr. GoodhartStudents of 23 years of age or over who have useful experience to bring to university studies and 261W to a future career are regarded by the university as "mature" for the purpose of entrance requirements. At 31 December 1979 there were 161 such students at Magee college—98 full-time and 63 part-time. At that date 39 full-time and 16 part-time students, all of whom were in this mature student category, were taking the foundation studies course at Magee college. I understand that according to the university's records 32 of the full-time and 13 of the part-time students were married. The 39 students attending the one-year full-time foundation study course received grants totalling £72,189 from the Department of Education. The average grant was £1,851: the maximum and minimum amounts were £4,080 and £985 respectively.