HC Deb 31 March 2004 vol 419 cc1539-40W
Ross Cranston

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many undergraduates were at universities in England in each academic year since 1997. [161612]

Alan Johnson

The available information is given in the table.

Undergraduate enrolments to English HE institutions1
Academic year Numbers
1997–98 1,172,877
1998–99 1,195,620
1999–2000 1,198,003
2000–01 1,229,549
2001–02 1,263,498
2002–03 1,328,625
1 Figures include enrolments to the Open University.

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency

Ross Cranston

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many undergraduates dropped out of undergraduate studies in each year since 1997. [162036]

Alan Johnson

The latest available figures giving non-completion rates for students starting full-time first degree courses in the UK are as follows:

Non-completion for students starting full-time first degree courses in the UK
Students starting courses in: 1Non-completion rate (percentage)
2000–01 16
1999–2000 17
1998–99 17
1997–98 17
1 Non-completion is regarded as those who do not gain a qualification from their original course or from any other course and do not transfer to another institution.

Source: HEFCE Performance Indicators

Figures published in 2003 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the UK as a whole has one of the lowest non-completion rates among OECD countries.