HC Deb 28 May 2004 vol 422 cc122-3W
Mr. Flook

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many undergraduate students from(a)Taunton constituency and (b)Somerset are attending university; and how many of these undergraduate students pay (i) no tuition fee and (ii) a partial tuition fee. [175622]

Alan Johnson

In England and Wales, students on full-time undergraduate courses and their families are expected to make a contribution towards the cost of their tuition only if they can afford to do so.

For entry in 2002, there were 2,710 applicants domiciled in Somerset LEA who were accepted through UCAS to full-time first degree and HMD courses at UK institutions. Data on the number of students from the constituency of Taunton attending university are not available.

The number and percentages of students in England and Wales in academic year 2002/03 (latest year for which data are available) who have been assessed to make a nil or partial contribution towards the cost of their tuition are shown in the table:

England and Wales: Academic year 2002/03 (provisional)
Student support

scheme student

numbers (000)1

 Student support

scheme students

(%)1
Nil contribution towards the cost of tuition from student/parents/ spouse/ partner2 330 43
Partial contribution towards the cost of tuition from student/ parents/spouse/ partner 116 15
1Contributions towards the cost of tuition are assessed by local education authorities in England and Wales for students normally domiciled in their area and studying in the UK.
2Includes students on courses where the fee support was not subject to income-assessment (e.g. PGCE courses, and some other ITT courses; and designated courses at private institutions).
Note:
National level data are published annually in the Departments Statistical First Releases (SFRs) (SFR 12/2004 for 2002/03). Data are collected from the local education authorities (LEAs) to produce national estimates and the data collection exercise does not allow for the production of firm figures below this level. Therefore data by Constituency or local education authority are not available.
Source:
F503G survey of local education authorities