§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those access courses that are designed for entry to specific higher education courses. [22102]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Secretary of State publishes a list each year of courses of further education which are approved under Schedule 2(c) of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 and which are eligible for funding. Such courses are commonly known as access courses. I have placed a copy of the current list in the Library.
§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students currently in higher education have completed an access or foundation course. [22104]
§ Dr. HowellsThe numbers of entrants to higher education with an Access or Foundation course as the highest entry qualification over the last three years were:
- 1994: 20,464;
- 1995: 22,550;
- 1996: 22,950.
§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the total number of students currently enrolled on(a) access and (b) foundation courses; and if he will make a statement. [22101]
§ Dr. HowellsThe information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, publications by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education suggest that there are around 30,000 students taking part in some 1,200 access courses in England.