§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate she has made of the impact of the 1996–97 settlement to universities on the opportunities for part-time studies. [23707]
§ Mr. ForthThe November 1995 Budget settlement confirmed the 1994 plans for higher education recurrent expenditure, but planned capital expenditure was reduced reflecting the policy that capital should, wherever possible, be financed through private finance schemes. I understand that, in response to the Secretary of State's guidance, the Higher Education Funding Council for England has recently decided to allocate extra resources for part-time students in science and engineering in 1996–97.