§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current number of(a) full-time and (b) part-time students in Northern Ireland; and what are the projections for these figures for the next 10 years.
§ Dr. Mawhinney[holding answer 6 July 1989]: Figures for enrolment on higher education undergraduate and postgraduate, and vocational further education courses in 1988–89 are as follows:
Full-time Part-time 32,734 48,239 In addition, there are an estimated 80,000 part-time enrolments on continuing education and non-vocational further education courses.
Projections for these figures for the next 10 years are not available.
§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of people who applied for educational maintenance allowances in each of the last seven years.
§ Dr. Mawhinney[holding answer 6 July 1989]: The figures for 1982–83 are not readily available, but the applications for educational maintenance allowances in Northern Ireland for the succeeding six years are as follows:
Number 1983–84 5,973 1984–85 5,219 1985–86 4,420 1986–87 3,599 1987–88 3,206 1988–89 2,446
§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received406W from the Fair Employment Agency regarding the White Paper, "Top-up Loans for Students"; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. Mawhinney[holding answer 6 July 1989]: The agency wrote to me on 13 March expressing concern that the partial substitution of loans for grants could discourage poorer people from entering university, and could therefore have the effect of diminishing Catholic participation in higher education. In noting the agency's view, I remain convinced that its fears are misplaced. In any event, as already indicated in the White Paper, the Government intends to monitor the introduction of the new funding arrangements, so as to measure their effects on such matters as participation by social class or gender.
§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would be the cost at 1988–89 prices of introducing educational maintenance allowances for 16 and 17-year-olds in full-time education in schools and colleges at(a) the same rates as income support for young people and (b) the same rate as training allowances paid to 16 and 17-year-olds on YTP schemes.
§ Dr. Mawhinney[holding answer 6 July 1989]: The estimated costs would be (a) £22 million and (b) £31 million.