Free School Meals (Hansard, 10 March 2003)

§ James Purnell
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children will be entitled to free school meals under the Government's new child tax credits from April. [101142]

§ Mr. Stephen Twigg
From 6 April 2003, we estimate that 1.2 million children in England will be entitled to receive free school lunches. This estimate includes around 162,000 children who will be entitled to receive free school lunches because their parents claim the new child tax credits. This figure includes 75,000 new recipients who would not have previously benefited from this entitlement.

§ Mr. Tony Clarke
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Northampton, South are entitled to free school meals; and what the average is in English constituencies. [100785]

§ Mr. Stephen Twigg
The latest information available is shown in the table:

Higher Education¹ Students in Great Britain

Year Postgraduate Undergraduate Total²

1995–96 310,800 1,476,200 1,787,000

1996–97 310,300 1,534,500 1,844,800

1997–98 321,400 1,561,200 1,882,600

1998–99 337,900 1,579,500 1,917,500

1999–2000 351,300 1,586,100 1,937,500

2000–01 363,600 1,620,800 1,984,400

2001–02³ 371,800 1,669,100 2,040,900

¹ Census count as at December 31 in years up to 1993–94, and as at December 1 subsequent years. Includes home and overseas HE students studying both full and part time courses at HE institutions, FE institutions and the Open University.

² Numbers may not add as totals were calculated before rounding.

³ Provisional.

Note:
Numbers have been rounded to the nearest hundred.

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students have been enrolled in(a) higher and (b) further education in each academic year since 1997–98. [96702]

§ Margaret Hodge
The latest information is shown in the table.
81W

Students on higher and further education courses—England

Academic year Higher education¹ Further education²

1997–98 1,568,200 3,767,300

1998–99 1,591,400 3,662,300

1999–2000 1,610,000 3,608,100

2000–01 1,651,600 3,671,400

2001–02 ³1,690,900 Not available⁴

¹ Census count as at 1 December. Covers all home and overseas students on postgraduate and undergraduate courses, including HE students in FE colleges and the Open University.

² Based on a whole year count of students. Includes FE students in HE institutions.

³ HE figures are provisional.

⁴ The whole year count of students in FE sector colleges is collected retrospectively after the end of the academic year.

Higher Education¹ Students in Great Britain
Year	Postgraduate	Undergraduate	Total²
1995–96	310,800	1,476,200	1,787,000
1996–97	310,300	1,534,500	1,844,800
1997–98	321,400	1,561,200	1,882,600
1998–99	337,900	1,579,500	1,917,500
1999–2000	351,300	1,586,100	1,937,500
2000–01	363,600	1,620,800	1,984,400
2001–02³	371,800	1,669,100	2,040,900
¹ Census count as at December 31 in years up to 1993–94, and as at December 1 subsequent years. Includes home and overseas HE students studying both full and part time courses at HE institutions, FE institutions and the Open University.
² Numbers may not add as totals were calculated before rounding.
³ Provisional.

Students on higher and further education courses—England
Academic year	Higher education¹	Further education²
1997–98	1,568,200	3,767,300
1998–99	1,591,400	3,662,300
1999–2000	1,610,000	3,608,100
2000–01	1,651,600	3,671,400
2001–02	³1,690,900	Not available⁴
¹ Census count as at 1 December. Covers all home and overseas students on postgraduate and undergraduate courses, including HE students in FE colleges and the Open University.
² Based on a whole year count of students. Includes FE students in HE institutions.
³ HE figures are provisional.
⁴ The whole year count of students in FE sector colleges is collected retrospectively after the end of the academic year.