House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 27 Feb 2003 (pt 8)

27 Feb 2003 : Column 677W—continued

Top-up Fees (Brunel University)

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from Brunel University about the impact of top-up fees on the socio-economic background of applicants; and if he will make a statement. [98979]

Mr. Charles Clarke: We have received a number of representations from a variety of sources since the launch of the White Paper and expect to receive more during the period for comment.

University Entrants

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many UK students have entered universities in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Scotland in each academic year since 1990. [91638]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The latest available figures are shown in the table. Figures for Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of the devolved Administrations of these countries.

UK domiciled entrants to undergraduate courses⁽¹³⁾

Academicyear England⁽¹⁴⁾ Wales⁽¹⁴⁾ Scotland⁽¹⁵⁾ Northern Ireland⁽¹⁴⁾

1990–91 328,500 18,000 46,200 9,200

1991–92 377,700 20,500 49,300 9,900

1992–93 415,600 23,600 56,800 10,800

1993–94 437,200 24,300 59,000 11,300

1994–95 460,700 27,200 75,000 12,100

1995–96 477,900 31,200 82,600 15,300

1996–97 476,100 31,400 91,000 15,400

1997–98 483,700 30,700 95,700 17,600

1998–99 471,300 31,000 97,600 18,300

1999–2000 485,000 32,200 98,700 18,900

2000–01 490,500 34,300 98,800 20,600

2001–02⁽¹⁶⁾ 504,300 36,800 106,200 19,800

Academicyear	England⁽¹⁴⁾	Wales⁽¹⁴⁾	Scotland⁽¹⁵⁾	Northern Ireland⁽¹⁴⁾
1990–91	328,500	18,000	46,200	9,200
1991–92	377,700	20,500	49,300	9,900
1992–93	415,600	23,600	56,800	10,800
1993–94	437,200	24,300	59,000	11,300
1994–95	460,700	27,200	75,000	12,100
1995–96	477,900	31,200	82,600	15,300
1996–97	476,100	31,400	91,000	15,400
1997–98	483,700	30,700	95,700	17,600
1998–99	471,300	31,000	97,600	18,300
1999–2000	485,000	32,200	98,700	18,900
2000–01	490,500	34,300	98,800	20,600
2001–02⁽¹⁶⁾	504,300	36,800	106,200	19,800

⁽¹³⁾ Entrants to full-time and part-time courses at HE and FE institutions. Excludes students at the Open University.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Census count as at 31 December in years up to 1993–94, and as at 1 December in subsequent years.

⁽¹⁵⁾ Census count as at 31 December in years up to 1993–94, whole year session counts in subsequent years.

⁽¹⁶⁾ Provisional. Includes estimates for HE students in FE colleges.

Note:

Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.

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Work Experience

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his plans are for the provision of structured and accredited work experience schemes for 14 to 16 year olds. [99624]

Mr. Miliband: As I said in my answer to the hon. Member on 10 February over 95 per cent. of pupils currently undertake work experience placements in their last years of compulsory schooling, and we want all pupils to benefit from high quality placements. A range of guidance and support is already provided by the Department, the Learning and Skills Council and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. This seeks to ensure that placements are safe, well structured, integrated into the curriculum and suited to the needs of the individual, with activities and outcomes captured within pupils' records of achievement.

We also intend to make work-related learning a statutory requirement for all pupils at Key 4 from 2004–05. We have asked the QCA for further advice on work-related learning as part of their overall advice on Key Stage 4 curriculum change. While delivery will vary according to pupils' needs and circumstances, integrating work experience more closely into the curriculum will be one of the means by which this requirement may be fulfilled. In many cases the experience will be distinct and practical, providing opportunities for assignments and project work that will contribute directly to qualifications such as the new GCSEs in vocational subjects or NVQs.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Gibraltar

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Government officials are responsible for liaison with officials from Gibraltar. [99752]

Mr. MacShane: The Government is in regular contact with the Gibraltar Government on a broad range of issues. This involves contact between officials in a number of Whitehall departments and the Gibraltar Government.

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British Council

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the cost to the British Council of funding arts events abroad in 2001 to support UK creative industries; and if he will make a statement. [99120]

Mr. MacShane: The British Council expenditure on the arts and creative industries programme in Financial Year 2001–02 was £24.9 million, including £8.1 million of staff costs in the UK and overseas. This funding leveraged a further £27.2 million from partners, sponsors and other revenue sources.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the information given on page 91 of the FCO Departmental Report 2002, whether the event attended by Mr.Fidel Castro, including a performance by the Manic Street Preachers, was funded by his Department through the British Council; and if he will make a statement. [99121]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer 26 February 2003]: The costs of the concert were borne by the band and their record company, with the venue, local staffing, logistics and security provided by the Cuban Ministry of Culture and the Cuban Institute of Music. The British Council's role was to facilitate contact between the band and the Cuban authorities.

Common Foreign and Security Policy

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is with regard to recent proposals by the French and German governments that decisions over European Common Foreign and Security Policy be taken by qualified majority vote; what discussions he has had with the two governments concerning this matter; and if he will make a statement. [93438]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 27 January 2003]: Her Majesty's Government will not come to final decisions on the matter until it has had, in due course, the opportunity to study the Reports of the Convention as a whole. The right hon. Gentleman will wish to note that in the Convention Working Group, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales proposed the following: "While noting that there was no consensus yet on the further extension of QMV, the Group could agree that the future Treaty should include a provision, which would provide for the possibility of the European Council agreeing to extend (on the basis of unanimity) the use of QMV in CFSP.".

Convention on the Future of Europe

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Answer to the right hon. Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) of 7 February 2003, Official Report, column 479, on the Convention on the Future of Europe, what plans he has to submit the draft constitutional treaty to Parliament before it is discussed at the inter-governmental conference; whether it is his policy that Parliament will have a chance to vote on the

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draft treaty (a) before and (b) after the inter-governmental conference; and whether the draft constitution will be put to a referendum of the British people. [99341]

Mr. MacShane: The Praesidium's draft Constitutional Treaty is a public document which can be accessed through the Convention website at www.european-convention.eu.int. The UK Parliament is already a party to the discussions in the Convention, beingrepresented by four official members, one of whom is on the Convention's Praesidium. As with all previous EU treaties, a Constitutional Treaty would be submitted for scrutiny by Parliament before the UK would ratify it. The Government has no plans to hold a referendum on any new EU treaty.

Krishna Maharaj

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to decide on further official action and approaches to the United States authority seeking remedies, relief and an order for a new trial for Krishna Maharaj. [99688]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Officials in London, and the Consulate-General in Atlanta remain in close and regular contact with Mr Maharaj's legal representatives, and continue to take an active interest in the on-going legal proceedings. It is for Mr Maharaj's lawyers to pursue the legal avenues open to him, including the possibility of a re-trial. We will, however, look to see what else HMG could properly do.

Kurdistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Kurdistan Regional Government regarding means to assist Kurdish citizens in the event of a military attack on Iraq. [99697]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: No decision has been taken to launch military action against Iraq. Ministers and officials regularly meet representatives of the northern Iraq Kurdish administrations, as well as other Iraqi oppositionists, to discuss a wide range of issues. Most recently, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani, leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan respectively, in December 2002.

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