§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the impact of tuition fees and the abolition of maintenance grants on (1) student drop-out rates; [149456]
(2) the number of applicants for university. [149457]
§ Mr. WicksWe have no evidence to suggest that the student support arrangements we introduced are affecting non-completion rates or the demand for higher education. The non-completion rate in the UK has remained broadly steady at 17–18 per cent. since 1991–92. Data from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) on the number of people accepted for entry to full-time and sandwich courses in higher education in the UK in 2000–01 show an overall rise of 1.5 per cent. or over 5,000 students compared to the previous year. This follows an increase in enrolments in both 1998–99 and 1999–2000.