§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the cost in the current year of restoring the value of the student maintenance grant to its real 1979 level. [30371]
§ Mr. AncramIn view of the major changes made to the student support system in the intervening period, including the introduction of student loans in 1990, the cost would very much depend on whether the changes were to be reversed.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the university or polytechnic total student population for each year from 1974–75; and what it will be in each year to 1998–99.
§ Mr. AncramThe information is available in the form requested only from the year 1975–76 and is as follows:
Year Total student population 1975–76 13,060 1976–77 13,939 1977–78 14,416 1978–79 14,786 1979–80 15,377 1980–81 15,759 1981–82 16,258 1982–83 17,005 1983–84 17,566 1984–85 19,163 1985–86 19,571 1986–87 20,089 1987–88 20,871 1988–89 21,526 1989–90 22,403 1990–91 24,340 1991–92 26,645 1992–93 28,873 1993–94 31,272 1994–95 35,965 Note:
Projected Northern Ireland student numbers are published in "Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities", a copy of which is available in the Library. Figures are not presently available for 1998–99.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list the changes to university and polytechnic student maintenance grant entitlement since 1974; [30368]
590W(2) what has been the value of the full university student grant for each year since 1974–75 in 1994 prices. [30366]
§ Mr. AncramThe information is as follows:
Value of the standard maintenance grant and loan in Northern Ireland £ Year Standard maintenance grant 1(cash terms) Standard maintenance grant plus loan 2(cash terms) Standard maintenance grant 3(real terms) Standard maintenance grant plus loan 3(real terms) 1974–75 605 — 3,056 — 1975–76 740 — 2,945 — 1976–77 875 — 3,041 — 1977–78 1,010 — 3,033 — 1978–79 1,100 — 3,062 — 1979–80 1,245 — 2,996 — 1980–81 1,430 — 2,997 — 1981–82 1,535 — 2,875 — 1982–83 1,595 — 2,783 — 1983–84 1,660 — 2,753 — 1984–85 1,775 — 2,832 — 1985–86 1,830 — 2,766 — 1986–87 1,901 — 2,778 — 1987–88 1,972 — 2,784 — 1988–89 2,050 — 2,752 — 1989–90 2,155 — 2,733 — 1990–91 2,265 2,685 2,624 3,111 1991–92 2,265 2,845 2,483 3,119 1992–93 2,265 2,980 2,387 3,141 1993–94 2,265 3,065 2,311 3,128 1994–95 2,040 3,190 2,040 3,190 1 The standard maintenance grant rate is that applicable to students living away from home and studying outside London. 2 Since 1990–91 student support has included grant and loan: the grant was frozen at the 1990–91 level (ie £2,265) until 1994–95 when it was reduced to £2,040. Figures for 1990–91 and subsequent years include grant plus full year loan for students living away from home. 3 Based on the retail price index (excluding mortgage interest payments) in September of each academic year. 4 Up to and including 1983–84 students claimed and were individually reimbursed, full travelling expenses; from 1984–85 most students had to meet their travel costs from within their main rate of grant.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the staff to student ratio at universities and their forerunners in each year from 1974–75 to 1997–98. [30364]
§ Mr. AncramThe information is available for Northern Ireland universities only from 1981–82 to 1993–94 and is as follows:
591W
Year Staff: student ratio 1981–82 8.7 1982–83 9.1 1983–84 9.5 1984–85 12.0 1985–86 12.1 1986–87 12.2 1987–88 13.0 1988–89 13.9 1989–90 13.8
Year Staff: student ratio 1990–91 14.4 1991–92 15.5 1992–93 15.5 1993–94 16.5
Expenditure and funding in higher education in Northern Ireland Mandatory award holders Recipients (academic years) Expenditure (financial years) Thousands Fees£ million Maintenance£ million Average student loan per (academic years)4£ Recurrent average grant and income from tuition fees per student (financial years)5£ 1984–85 n/a n/a n/a — 3,400 1985–86 n/a n/a n/a — 4,000 1986–87 17.6 10.1 21.8 — 4,100 1987–88 18.9 11.3 23.6 — 4,300 1988–89 19.7 12.0 25.4 — 4,500 1989–90 21.0 13.6 28.5 — 4,800 1990–91 22.6 124.7 31.8 370 4,900 1991–92 228.5 2253.0 238.2 500 4,900 1992–93 30.5 67.7 43.2 610 4,900 1993–94 33.9 369.9 47.3 690 4,800 1994–95 n/a n/a n/a — 4,600 1 Shift in institutional funding towards the fee introduced from September 1990. 2 Includes teacher training and EC students from September 1991. 3 Shift of fees towards institutional funding from September 1993. 4 Based on Loan Holders studying in Northern Ireland. 5 Figures have been rounded to the nearest £100.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the drop-out rate for university and polytechnic courses in each year since 1979. [30303]
§ Mr. AncramThe information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is his estimate of the annual cost of providing the full maintenance grant to all university students. [30307]
(2) what would be the annual cost of paying (a) all fees for, and (b) the full maintenance grant to, all part-time university students. [30306]
§ Mr. AncramIt is not possible to provide an estimate of these costs since it would depend upon such factors as the eligibility of courses, their duration, the maximum payable fee and maintenance grant, and the account to be taken of the personal circumstances of potentially eligible students.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would be the cost of restoring university student benefit entitlement to income support and housing benefit. [30305]
§ Mr. Malcolm MossThis information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would be the cost of reducing the level of university fees paid by non-European Community country students to the fee levels paid by students from European Community countries. [30309]
592W
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average cost to the Exchequer of each student in university education for each year from 1984–85, broken down by(a) maintenance grant; (b) fees; and (c) other.[30372]
§ Mr. AncramThe information is not available in the form requested. The available information is as follows:
§ Mr. AncramInformation on fees for overseas students, which are set separately by each university, is not available.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the percentage of university or polytechnic students entitled to(a) full maintenance grant and (b) no maintenance grant in each year since 1979. [20369]
§ Mr. AncramThis information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the backlog of building repair and maintenance work at universities. [30365]
§ Mr. AncramThe current backlog of building repair and maintenance work for academic buildings in the two Northern Ireland universities is estimated to cost £76 million. This figure is derived from an accommodation condition survey conducted in early 1992.
The Department of Education in Northern Ireland has spent £7 million during the past three years on grants for backlog maintenance, and universities themselves have spent £8 million during the same period. It is planned to continue to provide support towards £18 million of further work over the next three years. The remaining less urgent work will need to be funded by institutions themselves.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the(a) average cost and (b) marginal cost, of university students in 1995–96. [30373]
§ Mr. AncramThe average recurrent grant and income from tuition fees per university student in Northern 593W Ireland for the financial year 1995–96 is estimated to be approximately £4,570. No information is available on the marginal costs.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of students in higher education in 2000. [30304]
§ Mr. AncramFigures for students in Northern Ireland institutions of higher education are not available for academic years beyond 1997–98.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average level of student loan for university students in 1994–95. [30308]
§ Mr. AncramI refer the hon. Member to the answer given him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Further and Higher Education earlier today.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total Government expenditure on university and polytechnic maintenance grants, for each year since 1974–75 in 1994 prices. [30367]
§ Mr. AncramThe information is not available in the form requested. The available information is as follows:
Government expenditure on maintenance grants to mandatory award holders and on student loans in Northern Ireland £ million (real terms)1 Student Maintenance Grant2 (Financial Year) Student Loans3(Academic Year) 1986–87 31.9 — 1987–88 33.3 — 1988–89 34.1 — 1989–90 36.1 — 1990–91 36.8 1.5 1991–92 41.8 3.0 1992–93 45.5 4.5 1993–94 48.3 6.2 1 In 1994–95 prices based on the retail price index (excluding mortgage interest payments) in September of each academic year. 2 Expenditure in grants to mandatory award holders normally domiciled in Northern Ireland. 3 Expenditure on loans to higher education students studying in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the total number of university students with a student loan, in each year from 1987–88 to 1997–98. [30310]
§ Mr. AncramI refer the hon. Member to the answer given him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Further and Higher Education earlier today.