Higher Education (Hansard, 17 December 1985)

§ 36. Mr. Conway
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what comparisons are available to him of the proportion of young people entering higher education in the United Kingdom and other European Economic Community countries, respectively.

§ Mr. Walden
Readily available information is shown in the following table:

All new entrants to higher education as a percentage of the relevant young person's age group

Year Age group^* New entrants to higher education per relevant population†

United Kingdom 1983 18–20 ‡30.1

Belgium 1981 18–20 ║12.9

Denmark 1982 — 35.3

France 1982 18–20 34.1

Germany, Federal Republic of 1982 19–21 27.8

Ireland 1982 — 24.6

Italy 1983 19–21 27.6

Netherlands 1982 18–20 26.1

Spain 1980 — 28.3

— Not available.

^* Age group encompassing at least 80 per cent. of new entrants.

† New entrants (all ages) to full-time and part-time higher education as a percentage of the average population in the most relevant age range.

‡ Part-time new entrants included to aid international comparisons. Overseas students are excluded, as are postgraduates and others with higher education qualifications. Excludes students studying for higher education qualifications outside of the public education system other than nursing and other paramedical students at DHSS establishments. If included the United Kingdom figure would be around 40 per cent.

║ University only.

118W

§ 58. Mr. Austin Mitchell
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of 18-year-olds took up places in higher education in the last year for which statistics are available.

§ Mr. Walden
The Department's usual way of monitoring participation in higher education is the age participation index. This is defined as the number of full-time and sandwich home domiciled initial entrants to higher education aged under 21 expressed as a percentage of the average population of 18 and 19-year-olds. Initial entrants are those entering a higher education course for the first time. The age participation index for Great Britain in 1984 was 13–7.

§ 59. Dr. Godman
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to meet the University Grants Committee to discuss the level of financial support for universities in the next five years.

§ 61. Dr. McDonald
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to meet the University Grants Committee to discuss their responses to the Green Paper, "The Development of Higher Education into the 1990s," on the amount of research being undertaken by universities.

§ Mr. Walden
My right hon. Friend has no meeting with the University Grants Committee arranged at present.

§ 69. Mr. Hirst
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the Green Paper on higher education; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Walden
My right hon. Friend has no plans to make a statement about responses to the Green Paper on higher education until the Government make the further statement of policy on higher education promised in the Green Paper itself.

All new entrants to higher education as a percentage of the relevant young person's age group
	Year	Age group^*	New entrants to higher education per relevant population†
United Kingdom	1983	18–20	‡30.1
Belgium	1981	18–20	║12.9
Denmark	1982	—	35.3
France	1982	18–20	34.1
Germany, Federal Republic of	1982	19–21	27.8
Ireland	1982	—	24.6
Italy	1983	19–21	27.6
Netherlands	1982	18–20	26.1
Spain	1980	—	28.3
— Not available.
^* Age group encompassing at least 80 per cent. of new entrants.
† New entrants (all ages) to full-time and part-time higher education as a percentage of the average population in the most relevant age range.
‡ Part-time new entrants included to aid international comparisons. Overseas students are excluded, as are postgraduates and others with higher education qualifications. Excludes students studying for higher education qualifications outside of the public education system other than nursing and other paramedical students at DHSS establishments. If included the United Kingdom figure would be around 40 per cent.
║ University only.