§ Ms Oona KingTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of applicants for higher education places have come from low income families in each year since 1997. [60252]
§ Margaret HodgeInformation on applicants to fill-time undergraduate courses in higher education is collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). UCAS does not collect any specific information about family income but rather assigns social class to applicants based upon the occupation of the parent with the highest income in the applicants household, as reported by the potential student. For applicants aged 21 or over, the occupation of the person contributing the highest income to the household is used.
UCAS data on people applying to enter higher education in 1997 to 2001 are shown in the table.
Percentage of home applicants to fill-time and sandwich undergraduate courses by social class Higher social class1 Lower social class2 1997 71 29 1998 71 29 1999 71 29 2000 71 29 2001 71 29 1Covers professional, intermediate and skilled (non-manual) social classes. 2Covers skilled (manual), partly skilled and unskilled social classes. The Government are committed to raising the participation rates for people from less affluent family backgrounds, and has introduced Excellence Challenge, including the AimHigher campaign, which is targeted at raising attainment and aspirations among young people who traditionally would not consider going to university.
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the higher education institutions showing the proportion of undergraduate students of each social class. [60254]
2W
§ Margaret Hodge[holding answer 10 June 2002]The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.