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3 Jul 2003 : Column 442W—continued
Top-up Fees
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has carried out on the effect of top-up fees on (a) existing and (b) future veterinary students. [121862]
Alan Johnson: The proposals for variable deferred fees will not affect existing veterinary students—we plan from 2006/07 to allow higher education institutions to charge variable fees to new students, between £0 and £3,000 per year per course. It will be for institutions themselves to decide at what level to set their fees. Institutions will be able to raise their fees only if they have an access agreement approved by the Office for Fair Access. All students, including veterinary students, will be able to defer payment of their fee until after their graduation, if they choose to do so. Graduates will repay the loan at a zero real rate of interest, with repayments linked to earnings, once they are earning above the £15,000 repayment threshold.
We do not control the supply or number of training places for veterinary students. The only disciplines for which we plan in this way are teachers, doctors and dentists.
Training and Skills Councils
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to whom complaints of maladministration against local training and skills councils should be addressed. [121905]
Alan Johnson: Complaints about the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) should be made to the Council's solicitor at the LSC National Office at Cheylesmore House, Quinton Road, Coventry, CV1 2WT.
Tuition Fees
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of university students from England paid the full amount of tuition fees for the academic year 2002/03. [122008]
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Alan Johnson: Student support data on the percentage of students making a contribution towards the cost of their tuition are collected from local education authorities (LEAs) in England and Wales through a voluntary retrospective survey.
Provisional data for academic year 2001/02, the latest available, show that 41 per cent. of higher education students eligible to be assessed for student support in England and Wales were liable to pay the full contribution towards the cost of their tuition.
Latest England only data are available for academic year 2000/01. Final, England only, data for academic year 2001/02 will be available later in the year. First provisional results for academic year 2002/03 will be published in the Department's Statistical First Release in the Spring of 2004.
University Students
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the university population of students in 2010 will be on the assumption of 50 per cent. participation by those in the age group 18 to 30 years. [121018]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 24 June 2003]: For any given percentage of participation, the university population on a full-time equivalent basis will depend on a number of factors, such as:
- (i) the length of course studied—a higher proportion of students studying shorter courses (e.g. two year Foundation Degrees) would result in lower overall student numbers;
(ii) the mix between full-time and part-time student numbers; and
(iii) the participation rate of those groups of students not included in the initial entry rate measure—e.g. students over 30, European Union students and postgraduates
In addition, in projecting forwards, account has also to be taken of the impact of demographic trends.
Student numbers have been projected ahead for the 2002 spending review period, which covers the three years to 2005–06. The projected number of UK and EU domiciled students attending English universities from 2003–04 to 2005–06, as set out in the Secretary of State's Grant Letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England, is as follows:
| Financial year | FTEs (Thousand) |
|---|---|
| 2003–04 | 1,115 |
| 2004–05 | 1,134 |
| 2005–06 | 1,157 |
(20) DfES fundable higher education students on prescribed courses in institution of further and higher education.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many university students in England studied as (a) full-time and (b) part-time in each year from 1996–97 to 2002–03. [123067]
Alan Johnson: The latest available figures for undergraduate students are shown in the table. Comparable data for 2002/03 will be available in December.
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| Academic year | Full-time | Part-time | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996/97 | 747,535 | 461,987 | 1,209,522 |
| 1997/98 | 762,027 | 451,508 | 1,213,535 |
| 1998/99 | 771,673 | 458,830 | 1,230,503 |
| 1999/2000 | 768,001 | 465,797 | 1,233,798 |
| 2000/01 | 774,353 | 488,469 | 1,262,822 |
| 2001/02 | 796,215 | 499,777 | 1,295,992 |
(21) Based on a census count of students as at 1 December. Covers all UK domiciled students on undergraduate courses in HE institutions, FE colleges and the Open University. Undergraduate courses include all first degree, HMD, HNC, and other sub-degree courses.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency.
Vocational Education and Training
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what percentage of provision of vocational education and training for young people was provided by colleges in the last 12 months for which figures are available; [122282]
- (2) how many 16 to19-year olds studied for vocational qualifications in (a) further education, (b) sixth form colleges and (c) other schools in the last year for which figures are available. [122283]
Alan Johnson: The numbers and percentages of 16 to 18-year olds participating in vocational education and training, for end 2001 (provisional figures; as at end of calendar year), are set out in the table. The figures include people studying NVQs, VCE A levels, GNVQs and equivalents.
| Numbers | Percentage of population | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time and part-time education | 534,500 | 28.8 |
| All Schools | 72,100 | 3.9 |
| Sixth Form Colleges(22) | 32,200 | 1.7 |
| FE Colleges1 | 430,100 | 23.2 |
| Work-based Learning (WBL) | 152,400 | 8.2 |
| Total(23) | 650,500 | 35.0 |
(22) Includes some students studying at Higher Education Institutions.
(23) Total of full- and part-time education and WBL (less overlap between WBL and full- and part-time education).
Source:
DfES Statistical First Release 16/2002
These figures do not include students in Employer Funded Education and Training (EFT) and Other Education and Training (OET) that are non-college based, for whom no academic/vocational split available.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of vocational qualifications were awarded via colleges in the last year for which figures are available. [122286]
Alan Johnson: The table below shows the numbers and proportions of vocational awards 1 by Centre Type during the 2001/02 academic year. The data are taken from the National Information System for Vocational Qualifications (NISVQ) 2 . Awards coverage is for England only.
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1 Vocational Awards include NVQs/SVQs, other VQs and VRQs. 2 NISVQ has full coverage of NVQs awarded plus VRQs from three of the largest awarding bodies and other VQs from seven of the largest awarding bodies.
| Centre Type | Numbers | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| School | 43,372 | 6 |
| FE college/tertiary college(26) | 427,205 | 59 |
| Sixth form college | 18,953 | 3 |
| Other(27) | 236,809 | 33 |
| Total | 726,339 |
(24) Includes Adult Education data.
(25) Institutes classified as 'other' include: University or other Higher Education centre, Private Training provider, Local government/Central Government/NHS, Employer, HM Prison/Youth Offenders Institution and Armed Forces.
Source:
NISVQ
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Responsibility for the provision of vocational training for young people and for adult and community learning is the responsibility of the Learning and Skills Council. I have therefore asked John Harwood, the Council's Chief Executive, to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and to place a copy of his reply in the Library.
Responsibility for the provision of opportunities for unemployed adults lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. The table provided shows the number and type of training opportunities Jobcentre Plus' Essex District has contracted for between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2004. Decisions about the scale and nature of opportunities have been taken taking into account the requirements of employers, jobseekers and the labour market.
| Work-based learning for adult training places | Total |
|---|---|
| Self Employment | 50 |
| Basic Employment Training | 142 |
| Short Job Focused Training—Transport | 60 |
| Short Job Focused Training—Fork lift | 232 |
| Short Job Focused Training—Security | 30 |
| Short Job Focused Training—IT | 20 |
| Short Job Focused Training—Business Admin | 71 |
| Short Job Focused Training—Construction | 5 |
| Short Job Focused Training—Health Care and Public Services | 6 |
| Short Job Focused Training—Retail | 30 |
| Longer Occupational Training—Construction 13 wks | 101 |
| Longer Occupational Training—Engineering | 6 |
| Longer Occupational Training—Business Admin | 153 |
| Longer Occupational Training—Hospitality | 16 |
| Longer Occupational Training—IT | 95 |
| Longer Occupational Training—USING IT 13 wks | 59 |
| Longer Occupational Training—Business Admin 26 wks | 13 |
| Longer Occupational Training—Health Care and Public Services | 23 |
| Longer Occupational Training—Retail | 55 |
| Longer Occupational Training—LGV Class C licences | 12 |
| Longer Occupational Training—Driving Instructor Training | 18 |
| Total | 1,197 |
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Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the progress made on the training pilots for vocational craft skills. [122797]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Employer Training Pilots were launched in six Learning and Skills Council (LSC) areas in September 2002. The pilots test the effects of offering employers a package of financial incentives to encourage them to allow their employees time off to train towards basic skills and level 2 qualifications. The training is free and delivered in a way that best suits the employer's business. Initial results suggested that the pilots were successfully engaging firms and individuals with little prior involvement in training, and they have therefore been extended until August 2004 and expanded to cover an additional six LSC areas.
The new pilots, which will operate from summer 2003, will be located in Berkshire, East London, Kent, Leicester, Shropshire and South Yorkshire.
The impact of the pilots is being evaluated on an on-going basis and although the final evaluation will not be available until early 2005, early indications are positive. Employers like the free training provision, delivered flexibly in the workplace, and the services of the independent broker to help them identify and source the most suitable training.
Figures provided by the LSC show that as at 31 May 2003, 2,318 employers and 11,665 employees had signed up to the pilots. Over 90 per cent. of employers signing up to the pilots are SMEs and 72 per cent. have less than 50 employees. Learner drop-out rates are also extremely low.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of people completing a vocational training course have obtained employment within three months in the last three years. [122798]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Information is only available for those leaving Government supported work based learning for young people (WBLYP), and for those in a job six (not three) months after leaving learning. The percentages of learners on Government supported work based learning for young people (WBLYP) who were in a job six months after leaving are shown in the following table. The information in the table relates to all leavers and is taken from a postal survey sent to each learner six months after leaving the programme. The latest year for which figures are available is 2000–01.
| Financialyear ofleaving | Advanced modern apprenticeships | Foundation modern apprenticeships | Other training | Work-based learning for young people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 82 | n/a | 64 | 69 |
| 1999–2000 | 84 | 68 | 62 | 71 |
| 2000–01 | 86 | 69 | 61 | 72 |
Source:
DfES Statistical First Release 14/2002
3 Jul 2003 : Column 447W
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