§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the work of the task force on university enrolments chaired by Professor Thomas. [129989]
§ Alan JohnsonI apologise for the delay in replying. I believe the reference is to the Higher Education Endowment Task Force chaired by Professor Eric Thomas, Vice Chancellor of Bristol University. The Task Force is focusing on: exploring tax incentives and models of matched funding schemes to encourage giving and institutions' capacity to raise funds; building a culture where universities ask for donations and donors are more willing to give; and elements necessary for a professional development office and effective fundraising. The Task Force is due to report in March 2004.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evidence he has collated on higher education student participation by socio-786W economic class in (a) subgraduate qualifications, (b) first degree courses and (c) postgraduate qualifications. [135783]
§ Alan JohnsonThe available information on undergraduate participation is the Age Participation Index (API). The API measures the proportion of UK domiciled initial entrants to full-time undergraduate HE by the age of 20 and is expressed as a percentage of the average of the 18 and 19-year-old populations. The most recent information, for 2001/02, is in the table.
Participation rates for postgraduate study are not held centrally.
Age Participation Index (API) by social class1 and level of course, 2001/02 Social class First degree Sub degree2 I Professional 77 3 II Intermediate 47 3 IIIn skilled non-manual 31 3 IIIm skilled manual 19 2 V Partly skilled 16 2 V Unskilled 13 2 I-IIIn 47 3 Illm-V 18 2 Total 30 6 1Figures rounded to nearest whole percentage. 1Around a third of home domiciled sub-degree entrants to GB institutions, aged under 21 years, were part time in 2001/02 and so would not be included in the API.