§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much he intends to increase the projected resources outlined in Cm. 56 in public sector higher education in order to finance the projected increase in access outlined in the Government's White Paper, "Meeting the Challenge".
Mr. JacksonThe Government's public expenditure plans for 1988–89 and the two succeeding years are under review. Funding for the polytechnics and colleges in 1988–89 will be determined in the context of overall decisions about local authority expenditure this autumn. The number of students in the system will he one of the factors taken into account in this process.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether it is his intention that the projected increase in student access outlined in the Government White Paper, "Meeting the Challenge", will 499W be concentrated in institutions presently under local education authority control; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. JacksonThe Government are planning for a further overall increase of 50,000 in the number of higher education students by 1990. Actual numbers, and where they study, will depend on various factors, in particular on the recruitment decisions of individual institutions.