HC Deb 26 July 1989 vol 157 cc715-6W
Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, whether he has yet an indication of the effect of the GCSE examinations on staying on in full-time education and on the attainments of those taking the examination; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

[pursuant to the reply, 10 February 1989,c. 846–48]: Provisional statistics collected by my Department indicate that in January 1989 there were some 382,000 pupils aged 16 and over in maintained and independent schools in England, an increase of 5 per cent. on the previous year. This represents a staying-on rate of 32.4 per cent. in all schools (29.5 per cent. in maintained schools alone) compared with 29.4 per cent. and 26.6 per cent. respectively in 1987–88. These are the highest-ever rates for staying on in school.

Of these pupils, some 314,000 are following A-level courses, an increase of 8 per cent. on the previous year.

Mr. Jackson

The levels of postgraduate studentships will in future be determined by the award-making bodies, consulting among themselves and with the Department as appropriate, in the light of all relevant factors, including the number and quality of applications for support and other claims on their resources. Students who face financial difficulties when they are no longer eligible for social security benefits will be able to seek supplementary assistance from their higher education institutions from the access fund for postgraduate students.