HC Deb 13 January 2003 vol 397 cc467-8W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to increase the attraction, reward and ease of access to higher and further education in areas where exceptionally low proportions of school leavers go into higher and further education. [88925]

Margaret Hodge

We are committed to extending opportunity in both further and higher education. As part of our Success for All reform strategy for further education and training—worth an extra £1.2 billion by 2005–06 or over this spending review period, a programme of Strategic Area Reviews led by local Learning and Skills Councils will help build a network of local providers working to increase choice and widen access to further education for young people. The Excellence Challenge—worth £190 million over three years—is already encouraging wider participation in higher education, and is focused on areas of deprivation, many of which have particularly low participation rates in further and higher education. The joint initiative by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the Learning and Skills Council, which will be launched in April 2003, also aims to encourage progression in each region.

We will be publishing our review of higher education shortly, which will reflect our commitment to widening participation.

John McDonnell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will commission an assessment of the likely impact of the General Agreement in Trade and Services on higher education. [88943]

Margaret Hodge

Work is already taking place to consider the impact should we decide to make any offers of further commitments in education services under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). No such decisions have been taken. The Department for Trade and Industry (DTI), which has the UK lead on the GATS, has recently concluded a public consultation on all aspects of the current round of negotiations. The consultation document was produced with input from the Department for Education and Skills and the Devolved Administrations. Close liaison over the education services sector within the GATS will continue throughout the negotiations. The consultation document noted that many of the principal suppliers of publicly funded higher education in the UK also engage in some commercial activity, and that the Government are reflecting carefully on any GATS implications that the current structure may give rise to.

Officials in my Department have also consulted directly with Universities UK, the Association of University Teachers and the National Union of Students to take their views and encourage them, and other higher education sector organisations across the UK, to respond to the public consultation.