Universities (Hansard, 23 June 1998)

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to provide funding for the updating of facilities in universities. [46595]

§ Dr. Howells
For 1998–99 my right hon. Friend has provided a funding package which will allow an extra £165 million to be spent on higher education. This includes an additional £125 million for universities and colleges in England to maintain and improve quality and standards, and to make a start on the backlog of maintenance and equipment replacement.
Decisions on funding for higher education for 1999–2000 and beyond will depend on the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review, due to be announced next month.
465W

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what statistics his Department collects on the staff to student ratio in universities. [46596]

§ Dr. Howells
The Department uses data on staff and students collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency in order to calculate a sector level student to staff ratio in higher education institutions in England.
The latest available student to staff ratios, as published in the 1998 Departmental Report, are 16.5 in 1994–95 and 16.6 in 1995–96.

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to review the curricula taught in universities(a) nationally and (b) the West Midlands. [46598]

Higher education enrolments in UK higher education institutions and those in the West Midlands analysed by subject, 1997–98

Subject UK percentage of total West Midlands percentage of total

Medicine and dentistry 41,579 2.4 1,724 1.3

Subjects allied to medicine 156,863 9.0 12,825 9.5

Biological sciences 86,559 5.0 6,138 4.6

Veterinary science 3,311 0.2 14 0.0

Agriculture and related subjects 15,393 0.9 1,902 1.4

Physical sciences 72,190 4.1 4,835 3.6

Mathematical sciences 20,230 1.2 1,514 1.1

Computer science 78,019 4.5 7,198 5.4

Engineering and technology 129,186 7.4 13,044 9.7

Architecture/building and planning 43,686 2.5 2,509 1.9

Social, Economic and political studies 128,572 7.4 10,229 7.6

Law 54,341 3.1 5,177 3.8

Business and administrative studies 216,752 12.4 19,346 14.4

Librarianship and information science 20,175 1.2 1,309 1.0

Languages 89,708 5.2 7,862 5.8

Humanities 59,970 3.4 4,598 3.4

Creative Arts and Design 92,889 5.3 7,455 5.5

Education 128,208 7.4 9,183 6.8

Combined 304,002 17.5 17,677 13.1

Total 1,741,633 100.0 134,539 100.0

Higher education enrolments in UK higher education institutions and those in the West Midlands analysed by subject, 1997–98
Subject	UK	percentage of total	West Midlands	percentage of total
Medicine and dentistry	41,579	2.4	1,724	1.3
Subjects allied to medicine	156,863	9.0	12,825	9.5
Biological sciences	86,559	5.0	6,138	4.6
Veterinary science	3,311	0.2	14	0.0
Agriculture and related subjects	15,393	0.9	1,902	1.4
Physical sciences	72,190	4.1	4,835	3.6
Mathematical sciences	20,230	1.2	1,514	1.1
Computer science	78,019	4.5	7,198	5.4
Engineering and technology	129,186	7.4	13,044	9.7
Architecture/building and planning	43,686	2.5	2,509	1.9
Social, Economic and political studies	128,572	7.4	10,229	7.6
Law	54,341	3.1	5,177	3.8
Business and administrative studies	216,752	12.4	19,346	14.4
Librarianship and information science	20,175	1.2	1,309	1.0
Languages	89,708	5.2	7,862	5.8
Humanities	59,970	3.4	4,598	3.4
Creative Arts and Design	92,889	5.3	7,455	5.5
Education	128,208	7.4	9,183	6.8
Combined	304,002	17.5	17,677	13.1
Total	1,741,633	100.0	134,539	100.0