§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what regulations prevent private institutions from awarding degrees; what(a) advice and (b) representations he has received on allowing private institutions to award degrees; and if he will place copies in the Library. [84141]
§ Margaret HodgeThe regulations that limit the awarding of UK degrees are contained within the Education Reform Act 1988, which stipulates that UK degrees can be awarded only by organisations with powers granted by Royal Charter or Act of Parliament. Section 76 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 allows the Privy Council to specify any institution 97W offering higher education as competent to grant degrees. There is no legislation preventing private organisations from applying for degree awarding powers. I have received no representations about allowing private organisations to award degrees. However, the Privy Council has received two applications from private organisations for degree awarding powers. These are currently being considered by the Quality Assurance Agency through the normal process of scrutiny for such powers.
Number of permanent exclusions—academic years 1996–97 to 2000–01 Chesham and Amersham Primary1 Secondary1 Special2 Total Number of exclusions Percentage of the school population3 Number of exclusions Percentage of the school population3 Number of exclusions Percentage of the school population3 Number of exclusions Percentage of the school population3 1996–97 0 0.00 14 0.18 2 0.66 16 0.10 1997–98 1 0.01 12 0.15 0 0.00 13 0.08 1998–99 0 0.00 16 0.18 0 0.00 16 0.09 1999–2000 0 0.00 15 0.17 1 0.30 16 0.09 2000–01 1 0.01 13 0.14 0 0.00 14 0.08
Buckinghamshire LEA Primary1 Secondary1 Special2 Total Number of exclusions Percentage of the school population3 Number of exclusions Percentage of the school population3 Number of exclusions Percentage of the school population3 Number of exclusions Percentage of the school population3 1996–974 5 0.01 42 0.16 2 0.17 49 0.07 1997–98 13 0.03 54 0.20 10 0.85 77 0.10 1998–99 8 0.02 52 0.17 5 0.43 65 0.09 1999–2000 5 0.01 51 0.16 7 0.60 63 0.08 2000–01 11 0.03 55 0.17 6 0.53 72 0.10 1 Includes middle schools as deemed. 2 Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. 3 The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils in Primary, Secondary and Special schools. 4 Before local government reorganisation. Source:
Annual Schools Census