§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the drop-out rate for mature students was in higher education for the last 12 months for which figures are available. [132593]
§ Mr. WicksThe latest "Performance Indicators in Higher Education" published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England give an overall non-completion rate for students starting full-time first degree courses in the UK in 1997–98 of 17 per cent. a figure which has stayed roughly constant since 1991–92. It is not possible to disaggregate the relevant data by age. We announced in January a substantial package of additional financial support for mature students.