§ Mrs. Ann TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education how many copies of the non-consultative version of the higher education student charter were printed before the publication on Friday 21 May of the consultative version; what was the cost of printing them; what was the total number of administrative hours spent preparing them; when they will be pulped; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BoswellThree and a half million copies of the charter for higher education were printed at a cost of £152,000. All copies have been pulped. Since my right hon. Friend announced our intention to publish further and higher education charters on 19 June 1992, the time of approximately one full-time equivalent offical has been devoted to the higher education charter initiative. The printing arrangements had to be made well in advance of the target date for publication given the large number of copies required. In the event, following further representations, my right hon. Friend agreed that wider formal consultations should be undertaken in particular to allow individual universities to have the opportunity to comment through the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals.