§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on current recruitment to higher education, with particular reference to full-time enrolments for those with a background in socio-economic classes C2, D and E. [140396]
§ Mr. WicksThe number of students accepted for entry to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses in autumn 2000 has increased 1.9 per cent. since 1999. The number of part-time undergraduate entrants in 1999–2000 has increased 2.4 per cent. since 1998–99. The following table shows a steady trend in the proportion of full-time applicants/acceptances from Social Classes Illn-m, IV and V since 1996. The Government are spending £151 million over three years to get more young people from these groups to enter higher education.
UK domiciled applicants and accepted applicants from Social Classes 111n-m, IV and V to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses in the UK via UCAS institutions in the UK Year of entry 111n-m, IV and V 1996 1997 1998 1999 Number of accepted applicants 65,700 73,900 72,200 73,100 Percentage of accepted applicants 27 28 28 28 Number of applicants 93,600 100,800 97,200 96,800 Percentage of applicants 29 29 29 29 Note:
The data are based on the Social Class (SC) classification rather than the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising Social Grade (SG) classification indicated in the question. While both are based on occupation there are differences in derivation. The lower grades in SC (IIIn-m, IV and V) can nevertheless be regarded as broad approximations to the lower grades of SG (C2,. D and E).
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