HC Deb 24 January 1990 vol 165 c688W
Mr. John P. Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to increase the number of students in higher education; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

Actively fostered by the Government's education policies and consistent with the general aim of securing further substantial increases in participation above present record levels, we expect to see significant growth in student numbers over the 1990s. Our latest projection indicates full-time equivalent student numbers rising from about 760,000 in 1988 to about 890,000 by the turn of the century.