§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made with the e-university project; how much money has been allocated to the project in each financial year since 2000–01; how the project is being co-ordinated; and if he will make a statement. [163538]
§ Alan JohnsonThe e-universities project has been overseen from the outset by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in partnership with other funding bodies and the UK higher education sector. HEFCE arranged for public investment in an Operating Company, UK eUniversities Worldwide (UKeU) to be handled by a Holding Company (the eLearning Holding Company Ltd.) which is owned collectively by the higher education sector. The Government has provided £62 million to HEFCE for the e-universities project and I understand that HEFCE
1184W
Number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four-year-old children in maintained nursery and primary schools and private, voluntary and independent providers—England—1997–2003 Position in January each year Three-year-olds Four-year-olds Maintained nursery and primary schools1 Other maintained and Private,voluntary and independent Providers 2 Maintained nursery and Primary schools3 Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers4 Total four-year-olds5 1997 214,200 6— 6— 6— 576,200 1998 222,000 6— 6— 6— 591,500 1999 225,700 6— 6— 6— 593,800 2000 229,900 40,300 6— 6— 598,500 2001 226,600 108,800 6— 6— 589,300 2002 223,500 184,700 477,700 106,800 584,500 2003 218,700 226,100 472,200 107,100 579,300 1 Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. 2 Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data. 3 Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. 4 Information for 2002 was derived from the Nursery Education Grant exercise and information for 2003 from the Early Years Supplementary data collection exercise. 5 Information prior to 2002 was derived from the Nursery Education Grant exercise. Information for 2002 combines two sources of information, the Annual Schools' Census and the Nursery Education Grant exercise. Information for 2003 combines Annual Schools' Census and the Early Years Supplementary data collection exercise. 6 Not available. has passed on £32.6 million to date to the Holding Company for investment in UKeU. By year, this breaks down as: 2001–02, £12.8 million; 2002–03, £15.7 million; 2003–04, £4.1 million. In addition, HEFCE has allocated £7 million to public good activities connected with online learning, including the eChina project and the establishment of a new e-Learning research centre. HEFCE is currently holding restructuring discussions with the boards of UKeU and the Holding Company to consider the future business direction and structure of UKeU in order to identify the best way forward to secure value from the venture for the higher education sector.