HC Deb 09 March 2000 vol 345 cc793-4W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list(a) the total enrolments and (b) the full-time equivalent enrolments in further education in England in each year since 1992. [112118]

Mr. Wicks

[holding answer 28 February 2000]: The information requested is shown in the tables.

The decline in headcount numbers in 1998–99 reflects the clampdown on the unacceptable aspects of franchising which grew up under the previous Administration.

The Further Education Funding Council will be consulting on measures to support recruitment in line with our plans, which provide for an increase of 700,000 students in further education by 2002.

(a) Further education student numbers
000s
1992–93
1993–94
1994–951 3,034
1995–961 3,845
1996–971 4,245
1997–981 4,259
1998–992 4,142

(b) Full-time equivalents (FTE) in further eduction
000s
1992–931 1,101
1993–941 1,140
1994–951 1,179
1995–961 1,262
1996–971 1,295
1997–982 1,263
1998–99
1 Actual
2 Provisional

Notes:

1. The figures are provided on a whole year basis. Student numbers include Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) funded and non funded students.

2. Table (a):

Student numbers for 1992–93 and 1993–94 are excluded as the available figures are inconsistent with later years.

Student numbers for 1994–95 onwards are from the Individualised Student Record and give the numbers of students enrolling, rather than the total number of qualifications entered.

The figures relate to FE sector colleges and FEFC funded students in External Institutions.

External Institutions did not return data in 1994–95 and are not included in the student numbers for that year. For later years only FEFC funded provision is included.

In line with the normal publishing convention, Specialist Designated Institutions (SDI's) are not included.

FEFC funded HE students in FE sector colleges are included but FE students in HE institutions are excluded.

Three colleges transferred to the HE sector in 1998–99 and are not included in the figures for 1998–99.

3. Table (b):

In line with the normal publishing convention, FTE data include FEFC funded and non funded FE students in FE sector colleges, FEFC funded FE students in External Institutions, Specialist Designated Institutions, Higher Education Institutions and non FEFC funded FE students in adult education centres. Also included are FEFC funded HE students in FE sector colleges.

Outturn FTE figures for 1998–99 are not yet available.

Forward to