HC Deb 25 February 1988 vol 128 cc328-32W
Mr. Maginnis

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what EEC legislation and court rulings were taken into account when deciding the terms and conditions governing eligibility of European Economic Community students for places and grants for tertiary education in Northern Ireland.

Dr. Mawhinney

These terms and conditions were not determined separately from those in the rest of the United Kingdom. The Government took mainly into account a judgment of the European Court of Justice in February 1985 in a case referred to it by a Belgian court (Gravierv City of Liege).

Mr. Maginnis

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the cost of funding tertiary education in Northern Ireland, for students from European Economic Community member states(a) in total and (b) for each member state;

(2) how many students from the United Kingdom, eligible to receive tertiary education in Northern Ireland, have been unable to gain places during 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88;

(3) what is the total number of students in Northern Ireland who have applied for entry to tertiary education in 1988, listed by education establishments.

Dr. Mawhinney

The information is not available.

Mr. Maginnis

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures the Government intend to implement to curb the use by students from European Economic Community member states of Northern Ireland's tertiary education system to the detriment of students from the United Kingdom who are unable to obtain places there.

Dr. Mawhinney

No measures are proposed. There is no evidence that EC students are displacing United Kingdom students from places in tertiary education in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Maginnis

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the total number of students who commenced tertiary education in Northern Ireland in 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88, listed by educational establishments;

(2) what was the total number of students involved in tertiary education in Northern Ireland in 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88, listed by educational establishments.

Dr. Mawhinney

Available information is as follows:

1985–86 1986–87 1987–8834
New1 Entrant Total2 Enrolment New1 Entrant Total2 Enrolment New1 Entrant Total1
Belfast College of Technology 981 1,196 737 965
North West College of Technology 687 1,003 773 1,083
Antrim Technical 206 254 197 245
Ballymena Technical 655 883 665 893
Newtownabbey Technical 351 427 382 507
Lisburn College of Further Education 396 487 429 558
North Antrim College of Further Education 91 117 183 201
Lurgan College of Further Education 414 556 378 559
Portadown College of Further Education 953 1,178 718 971
Armagh College of Further Education 562 720 568 789
Banbridge College of Further Education 225 272 186 245
Down Technology Area 395 471 395 469
Newcastle College of Further Education 160 180 228 263
Fermanagh College of Further Education 413 539 401 526
Coleraine Technical 392 499 329 434
Limavady Technical 303 357 292 378
Magaherafelt College of Further Education 231 264 278 338
East Tyrone Technology Area 560 675 624 767
Omagh Technical 473 553 480 548
Larne College of Further Education 243 267 247 289
Newry and Kilkeel Further Education Area 624 786 567 715
Belfast College of Business Studies 892 923 798 965
Castlereagh College of Further Education 324 387 405 480
Rupert Stanley College of Further Education 827 1,030 1,182 1,489
North Down Technology Area 718 882 642 812
Northern Ireland Hotel and Catering College 212 233 192 210
1 Excludes students entering postgraduate study as they commenced tertiary education in a previous year.
2 Includes all full-time students.
3 Figures for 1987–88 are provisional.
4 Figures for Institutions of Further Education are not yet available.

Mr. Maginnis

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students in tertiary education in Northern Ireland in 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88, and how many of those applying for entry in 1988, are from

1985–86 1986–87 1987–88
ROI Other EC1 ROI Other EC1 ROI Other EC3
Number Per cent.2 Number Per cent.2 Number Percent.2 Number Per cent.2 Number Per cent.2 Number Per cent.
Universities
Queen's University University of 95 1.3 14 0.2 121 1.6 10 0.1 179 2.4 7 0.1
Ulster 224 3.0 29 0.4 337 4.4 64 0.8 609 7.7 60 0.8
Colleges of Education
Stranmillis 7 1.2 6 1.0 7 1.1
St. Mary's 8 1.4 10 1.7 8 1.3
Institute of Further Education
Belfast College of Technology North West 2 0.2 5 0.5
College of Technology 55 5.5 78 07.2
Antrim Technology
Ballymena Technology
Newtownabbey Technology
Lisburn College of Further Education
North Antrim College of Further Education

other European Economic Community member states, listed (a) as a percentage of the total, (b) by educational establishments and (c) by country of origin.

Dr. Mawhinney

The available information is as follows:

1985–86 1986–87 1987–88
ROI Other EO1 ROI Other EC1 ROI Other EC3
Number Per cent.2 Number Per cent.2 Number Per cent.2 Number Per cent.2 Number Per cent.2 Number Per cent.
Lurgan College of Further Education
Portadown College of Further Education
Armagh College of Futher Education 2 0.3 1 0.4
Banbridge College of Further Education 1 0.1
Down Technical Area
Newcastle College of
Futher Education 1 0.4
Fermanagh College of Further Education 16 3.0 18 3.4
Coleraine Technical 2 0.5
Limavady Technical
Magherafelt College of Further Education
East Tyrone Technical Area
Omagh Technical
Larne College of Further Education
Newry and Kilkeel
Further Education
Area 5 0.6 4 0.6
Belfast College of Business Studies 1 0.1 1 0.15
Castlereagh College of Further Edudation 2 0.4
Rupert Stanley College of Further Education 3 0.3 8 0.5 1 0.16
North Down
Technical Area 4 0.5 3 0.4
Northern Ireland
Hotel and Catering College 1 0.4 2 1.0
1 Includes students from European Community member states other than the United Kindom or the Republic of Ireland. Information on EC students at universities is not readily available by individual member states, apart from ROI.
2 As percentage of all full-time students.
3 Figures for 1987–88 are provisional.
4 Figures for Institutions of Further Education are not yet available. Figures for 1988 are not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
5 Germany.
6 France.

Mr. Maginnis

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what terms and conditions are applicable in Northern Ireland to students from European Economic Community member states, regarding eligibility for(a) Department of Education grants and (b) education and library board grants to pursue tertiary education;

(2) what terms and conditions are applicable in Northern Ireland to students from European Community member states, regarding fee-paying places in tertiary education.

Dr. Mawhinney

EC students who gain places in Northern Ireland institutions of tertiary education and who satisfy certain criteria of eligibility in respect of residence, type of course and previous study have their tuition fees paid.

Fees-only awards are made by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland and the education and library boards, respectively, to EC students who, in competition with Northern Ireland students, obtain postgraduate bursaries or studentships or discretionary awards in respect of other courses of tertiary education.