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7 Jan 2003 : Column 132W—continued
University Funding
Ms Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the criteria which he will use to allocate planned extra resources for student places to particular (a) universities and (b) courses, with special reference to the academic excellence of particular institutions. [88230]
Margaret Hodge: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) determine the extra allocations for individual institutions through an annual bidding exercise for additional student numbers. The criteria for the allocation of these places for 2003–04 are set out in the HEFCE publication, XAdditional Student Places and Funds 2003–04", report number 2002/39. The strategy document on higher education, which will be published in January 2003, will set out our vision for the future funding of higher education.
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University Places
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students from Leeds West obtained places at a university in (a) 2002 and (b) 1997; and what percentage of those who had sat A levels went on to university. [81487]
Margaret Hodge: Figures for the number of students who enter higher education are not collated centrally by constituency.
The available figures for Great Britain, showing the proportion of under 21-year-olds who enter higher education for the first time, are given in the table. There was an increase in the index in 1997–98 related partly to changes in the funding arrangements for higher education, with students choosing to enter HE rather than wait until 1998–99. There was a corresponding reduction in 1998–99 before the entry rates started to increase again in 1999–2000. Between 1997–98 and 2000–01, total HE students in English universities and colleges rose by 83,000. Nationally, around nine out of 10 18-year-olds who obtain two or more A levels enter HE by the time they are 21.
| Year | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 33 |
| 1998–99 | 31 |
| 1999–2000 | 32 |
| 2000–01 | 33 |
| 2001–02 | 233–35 |
| 2002–03 | 233–35 |
1 The API is defined as the number of GB domiciled initial entrants to full-time and sandwich undergraduate HE aged under 21, expressed as a percentage of the average number of 18 and 19-year-olds in the population.
2 Projected: final data on initial entrants not yet available.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Angola
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the lifting of sanctions against the UNITA group in Angola. [88080]
Mr. Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial Statement I made on 17 December 2002, Official Report, column 43WS.
Christmas Expenses
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much will be spent on (a) entertaining, (b) Christmas decorations and (c) other festive activities this Christmas season by his Department and government agencies answerable to his Department; and of this sum how much will be spent in ministers' (i) private offices and (ii) official residences. [88125]
Mr. Straw [holding answer 19 December 2002]: The answer to the first part of this question could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Any
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expenditure in these categories is strictly for official purposes only, and is made in accordance with the departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.
The total spent on entertainment, Christmas decorations and other festive activities for the FCO ministerial private offices and official residence at Christmas 2002 was #13,337.15. Of this #11,809.65 was spent on entertaining by ministerial offices and #1,527.50 in the official residence.
Cyprus
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the adjustments to the UN plan for Cyprus which were ratified to the parties on 10th December; if he will place a copy of the UN plan as adjusted in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [87496]
Mr. MacShane [holding answer 16 December 2002]: The United Nations' Secretary General has asked that the full details of the United Nations' negotiating process for a settlement in Cyprus remain confidential. It is for the UN Secretary General to decide on this plan's publication. I regret that it is therefore not possible to put a copy, as requested, in the Library.
The broad thrust of the Secretary General's revised 10 December proposal was to make improvements for both sides in the areas of greatest concern to them.
The United Nations held intensive consultations with the two sides in Cyprus and also in Copenhagen on 12 and 13 December 2002. It did not prove possible, however, to achieve a comprehensive settlement. However, the parties' positions have never been closer and agreement seemed possible up until the last minute.
The UN Security Council heard a report from Mr Alvaro de Soto on 18 December and the President of the Council issued the following press statement:
- XOn 18 December the members of the Security Council, in the presence of the Secretary General, heard a report from the Special Adviser to the Secretary General on Cyprus on the negotiations that have taken place in recent months, in pursuance of the mission entrusted to the Secretary General by the Security Council in its resolution 1250, aimed at achieving agreement on a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem which takes full account of relevant Security Council resolutions. The members of the Council commended the Secretary General for the initiatives he had taken in November and December 2002 to bridge the gaps between the two sides and to enable them to reach an agreement. They expressed the view that the proposal put forward on 11 November as revised on 10 December offered an unique opportunity to reach a settlement in the coming weeks. They regretted that the Turkish Cypriot leadership had not responded in a timely way to the initiatives of the Secretary General; and they called for its constructive efforts to reach a settlement in conformity with the timetable proposed by the Secretary General. They welcomed the willingness of both sides to continue the negotiations in the period ahead. They underlined the importance of intensifying the negotiations so that full agreement could be reached before 28 February 2003, in conformity with the timetable proposed by the Secretary General in his proposals. They urged both sides to work on the basis of the Secretary General's revised proposals of 10 December. The members of the Council drew attention to the unique opportunity that existed for the settlement of this long-running problem; and to the benefits for all concerned
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- from so doing, so that all Cypriots can benefit from Cyprus's accession to the European Union. They urged all concerned to seize the historic opportunity to bring a peaceful, just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem to the benefit of all its people and the wider region.The members of the Council expressed their full support for the continuation of the Secretary General's mission of good offices and his efforts to bring about a settlement in the first two months of 2003."
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the Final Report of the UN Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [87049]
Mr. Rammell: The UK fully supports the work of the UN Panel and welcomes its latest report. This highlights the activities of Xcriminal elites" operating throughout the region to exploit the DRC's natural resources. We hope the information in the report can be used to call those involved to account, although more information will be required to substantiate many of the claims made.
The Panel's mandate expired on 18 October. We are still in discussion with the UN about the allegations. The Security Council is considering the extension of the panel's mandate to allow discussions to continue.
Draft EU Constitution
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the clause in the EU draft constitution produced by the Convention on the Future of Europe requiring member states to do everything to further the aims of the EU. [88062]
Mr. MacShane: The draft Constitutional Treaty of the Praesidium of the Convention on the Future of Europe is an outline for discussion by the Convention. It has a clause which 'sets out the obligation of loyal co-operation of Member States vis-a-vis the Union'. The principle exists in the present Treaties (Article 10 of the Treaty on European Community and Article 11(2) the Treaty on European Union).
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the current draft of the European Constitution produced by the Convention on the Future of Europe contains a clause requiring a member state to join the euro. [88063]
Mr. MacShane: The draft Constitutional Treaty of the Praesidium of the Convention on the Future of Europe does not contain a clause requiring Member States to join the Euro. The UK would not agree to a constitution that would compel us to join the Euro. The Government would only recommend membership of the Euro if it is in the national economic interest and the economic case is clear and unambiguous.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish (a) the latest draft EU constitution produced by the Convention on the Future of Europe and (b) the UK response. [88064]
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Mr. MacShane: The Praesidium of the Convention on the Future of Europe's draft Constitutional Treaty is publicly available. It can be accessed through their website at http://european-convention.eu.int/. It is a basis for further discussion by the Convention.
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