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Further Education Colleges

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultation papers he has produced on the policy of incorporation of further education colleges; and if he will make them available. [37201]

Mr. Ancram: The planning and funding system for further education colleges has been discussed widely as part of the work of the review group on further education which reported in 1992 and as part of the review of educational administration from 1993 to 1995. The documents relating to these reviews are widely available. Since the announcement of incorporation in September 1995, the planning process has involved widespread dialogue and consultation with education and library boards, colleges, governors and unions. There will also be a period of formal consultation following the publication of the draft order.

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which further education colleges involve students in their managing bodies. [37209]

Mr. Ancram: The Belfast institute of further and higher education is the only further education college whose constitution specifically provides for student representation on its governing body.

Full-time Students

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of young people are full-time students for each year group in the age cohort 16 to 25 years and for the cohort as a whole. [37203]

18 Jul 1996 : Column: 664

Mr. Ancram: Information in respect of Northern Ireland domiciled students in 1994-95 is set out in the table:

Age	Estimated full-time students as percentage of home population
16	75
17	62
18	48
19	36
20	32
21	23
22	14
23	8
24	5
25	3
16 to 25	30

Graduates (Employment)

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what statistics he collates on the number and percentage of graduates obtaining employment after leaving Northern Ireland higher education establishments. [37205]

Mr. Ancram: Data on the first destinations of students qualifying at higher education institutions throughout the United Kingdom are collated by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, and the standard tabulation breaks employment into paid full-time permanent employment in the UK, other employment in the UK, and employment overseas. Further breakdowns by age, sex, subject of study, standard industrial classification of employer, standard occupational classification, and geographical region of employment can be produced.

Book Allowances

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, by institution, the number and value of book allowances made available to students in further education. [37213]

Mr. Ancram: No specific book allowances are made available to students in colleges of further education in Northern Ireland. Colleges' delegated budgets, which are allocated by education and library boards on a formula funding basis, include provision for expenditure on books.

Internet

Mr. Rowe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has ensure that major publications from his Department are accompanied by a simultaneous electronic release of the text on the Internet. [37238]

Sir John Wheeler: The Department of Finance and Personnel has had a presence on the Internet since May 1995 and provides an electronic publication service for Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office.

Each Department has identified a senior official who is responsible for co-operating with departmental business managers to determine which publications should be published on the Internet.

18 Jul 1996 : Column: 665

Nursery Voucher Scheme

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what will be the charge of the firm, Capita, for administering the nursery voucher scheme in Northern Ireland; and what will be the cost per voucher. [37167]

Mr. Ancram: No contract has yet been entered into with any firm for the administration of the voucher scheme in Northern Ireland.

Obesity

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the estimated percentage of (a) men and (b) women, aged (i) 16 to 64 years and (ii) 64 years and over, who were obese for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [37367]

Mr. Moss: The Northern Ireland health and activity survey, which was published in April 1994, provides data on obesity in Northern Ireland in 1992. This information is given in the following table in the age groups used in the survey. Data on obesity for other years since 1979 are not available.

Per cent. of the population who were obese in (23) 1992

Aged
	16-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-64	65-74
Men	3	9	25	18	25	23
Women	16	15	23	30	33	23

(23) Obese is defined as Body Mass Index (weight (KG)/height (m))

(24) of 30 or more for males and 28.6 for females.

Incorporated Colleges

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make available the interim report of the Department of Education and education and library boards working groups and the guidance documents relating to incorporation of further education colleges. [37202]

Mr. Ancram: The interim report is an internal document prepared by a working group for use by colleges and education and library boards in taking forward various issues relating to the transfer of responsibilities. It was not intended for publication. A guidance document is currently being prepared for publication and will be widely available.

Further Education Students

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what analysis he has conducted of the characteristics of students entering further education; and if he will make a statement. [37208]

Mr. Ancram: Analysis which has been conducted on the profile of further education students has related to all such students, rather than entrants alone. This indicates that, in 1994-95, 71 per cent. of further education enrolments were part-time; 60 per cent. were female; 52 per cent. were aged 19 years or under and 34 per cent. aged 26 years or over; 25 per cent. were studying "science only" subjects and 42 per cent. "arts only"; and the breakdown of enrolments by course was A/AS level 11 per cent. GCSE 15 per cent., Business and Technician

18 Jul 1996 : Column: 666

Education Council 17 per cent., city and guilds 17 per cent., Royal Society of Arts 18 per cent., professional bodies 6 per cent., others 16 per cent.

Student Awards

Mr. Wothington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will express expenditure on student awards as a percentage of the Northern Ireland gross domestic product in each of the past five years. [37206]

Mr. Ancram: The information is set out in the table.

£ million

	1991-92	1992-93	1993-94	1994-95	1995-96
Expenditure on student awards	107.7	131.3	141.5	131.9	130.8
As percentage of Northern Ireland GDP (26)	0.97	1.13	1.15	1.00	n/a

(25) Provisional.

(26) Northern Ireland gross domestic product figures are expressed in calendar year terms.

Staff-student Ratios

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list staff-student ratios in (a) further education and (b) higher education for the past five years. [37212]

Mr. Ancram: The Northern Ireland average staff-student ratios in further education colleges for the five years ending 1994-95 are as follows:

1990-91: 1: 12.21
1991-92: 1: 13.24
1992-93: 1: 13.15
1993-94: 1: 13.65
1994-95: 1: 13.68.

The figures for 1995-96 are not yet available.

The staff-student ratios for higher education are as follows:

	1990-91	1991-92	1992-93	1993-94	1994-95
Universities	1: 14.5	1: 15.6	1: 15.7	1: 16.4	(27) 1: 14.4
Colleges of education	1: 10.7	1: 10.6	1: 11.5	1: 12.0	1: 13.1

(27) The ratio for universities in 1994-95 is not comparable with the ratios for earlier years, because of a change in the basis of the count of staff in 1994-95.

Voluntary and Community Sector Funding

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has relating to the ring fencing of the funding of adult and community education in the voluntary and community sectors; and if he will make a statement. [37259]

Mr. Ancram [holding answer 17 July 1996]: The funding of adult and community education is not ring fenced and there are no plans to change this. Adult and community education in Northern Ireland is an integral part of normal further education provision and this will remain the case following the planned incorporation of further education colleges.

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Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met representatives of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action to discuss continuing financial support for the (a) community and (b) voluntary sectors; and if he will make a statement. [37260]

Mr. Moss [holding answer 17 July 1996]: My right hon. and learned Friend last met representatives of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action on 30 May 1996 to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the voluntary and community sector, including funding for the sector. The Government remain committed to working in partnership with the sector and to continuing to support it so far as the inevitable constraints upon the availability of resources permit.

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