HC Deb 22 March 1983 vol 39 cc374-5W
28. Mr. Sheerman

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide figures for the number of people entering higher education as a percentage of the population for the years 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81 and 1981–82, respectively, and what percentage of these were mature students.

Mr. Waldegrave

The information requested is given in rows(d) and (g) of the following table. However it is customary to quote age participation rates for entry to higher education which express home entrants to higher education aged under 21 as a percentage of 18-year-olds in the population and so exclude mature students—those aged 21 or more. These rates are given in row (h).

Thousands
1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82
Home initial entrants to higher education in Great Britain
(a) —aged under 21 105.3 108.7 113.9 120.7
(b) —aged 21 and over 32.4 34.3 33.7 36.2
(c) total 137.7 143.0 147.6 156.9
(d) Percentage mature ((b) as percentage of (c)) 23.5 per cent. 24.0 per cent. 22.8 per cent. 23.1 per cent.
(e) Total population in Great Britain 54,296 54,338 54,397 54,743
(f) 18-year-old population in Great Britain 850 875 896 913
(g) Entrants as percentage population ((c) as percentage of (e)) 0.3 per cent. 0.3 per cent. 0.3 per cent. 0.3 per cent.
(h) Age participation rate ((a) as percentage of (f)) 12.4 per cent. 12.4 per cent. 12.7 per cent. 13.2 per cent.