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University Education
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the university drop-out rate was in (a) England and (b) the North East in 2003–04. [215872]
Dr. Howells:
The latest information on non-completion rates was published last September by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in Performance Indicators in HE", which is available
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from their website at http://www.hesa.ac.uk/ The figures for HE institutions in the North East and England are shown in the table.
(162) The non-completion rates cover UK domiciled full-time students starting first degree courses who are projected neither to transfer nor achieve an alternative award from their study.
(163) HESA use a method of projection applied to the cohort of students starting full-time first degree courses in a particular year, based on the assumption that they will move through the system in the same way as current students.
(164) As well as the projected value, HESA also calculate an expected (benchmark) value for each institution, which allows for the entry qualifications, age and subject mix of the institution's students. Those institutions whose projected non completion rate differs significantly from their benchmark value are highlighted (+ or -) in the table.
(165) The outcomes for the University of Teesside have been left out because problems with their data this year have adversely affected their figures.
(166) Benchmarks are not calculated at national level.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of those between the ages of 18 and 22 years from the constituency of Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East are studying at university. [215871]
Dr. Howells: The recent HEFCE publication Young participation in higher education" (HEFCE 2005/03) looks at the proportion of young people who enter higher education at age 18 or 19 by parliamentary constituency. A discussion of the participation divisions and trends (18-year-olds in 1994 to 18-year-olds in 2000) for constituencies is contained in the report [sections 2.12, 3.8 and 4.1].
In addition, participation rates for parliamentary constituencies based on this work are given on the supporting POLAR website (www.hefce.ac.uk/polar). These indicate that, for the cohorts reaching 18 between 1997 and 1999, 28 per cent. of young people living in Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency entered higher education at age 18 or 19 (the English average for these cohorts is 29 per cent.).
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 18 to 22-year-olds from Chorley constituency are studying at university. [216310]
Dr. Howells:
The recent HEFCE publication 'Young participation in higher education' (HEFCE 2005/03) looks at the proportion of young people who enter higher education at age 18 or 19 by parliamentary constituency. A discussion of the participation divisions and trends (18-year-olds in 1994 to 18-year-olds in 2000) for constituencies is contained in the report [sections 2.12, 3.8 and 4.1].
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In addition, participation rates for parliamentary constituencies based on this work are given on the supporting POLAR website www.hefce.ac.uk/polar. These indicate that, for the cohorts reaching 18 between 1997 and 1999, 34 per cent. of young people living in Chorley constituency entered higher education at age 18 or 19 (the English average for these cohorts is 29 per cent.)
Youth Clubs
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department is taking to encourage provision of further youth clubs and other recreational places for young people. [214841]
Margaret Hodge: The Department for Education and Skills Five Year Strategy signalled the intention to consider a new offer for young people. Details will be set out in a Green Paper to be published for consultation shortly.
Central to this offer is enabling young people to access exciting and enjoyable activities in and out of school or college that enhance their personal, social and educational development and reflect what they do, including sport, outdoor activities and residential opportunities. As part of this work, my Department is looking at the full range of youth facilities, safe places and spaces in which young people can spend their leisure time.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Doctor/Nurse Ratios
Mrs. Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) doctor and (b) nurse to patient ratio is at each hospital in the Province; and what it was (i) 10 and (ii) 20 years ago. [215378]
Angela Smith: The information requested is not available.
Nursing Vacancies
Mrs. Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many whole-time equivalent nursing vacancies there were on the latest date for which figures are available at each trust in the Province. [215461]
Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave on 3 February 2005, Official Report, column 1074W.
Police (Medical Retirements)
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) regular, (b) full-time reserve and (c) part-time reserve police officers were medically retired as a result of an injury on duty in each year since 1975. [216246]
Mr. Pearson:
The figures requested are provided in the following table.
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Television Licences
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many television licences have been issued in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency. [216478]
Estelle Morris: I have been asked to reply.
The BBC has statutory responsibility for the administration of the television licensing system and TV Licensing carries out the day to day administration under contract to the Corporation. The BBC has advised that this information is not available as the Corporation does not collect any data on a constituency level.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been paid in television licence fees in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997. [216479]
Estelle Morris: I have been asked to reply.
The BBC has statutory responsibility for the administration of the television licensing system and TV Licensing carries out the day to day administration under contract to the Corporation. The BBC has advised that this information is not available as it does not split licence fee revenue by nation or region.
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Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of households in Northern Ireland which have not paid for television licences where such licences should have been paid for. [216480]
Estelle Morris:
I have been asked to reply.
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The BBC has indicated that the data required to produce accurate estimates is not available for the nations and regions. However, as the hon. Member may be aware, the National Audit Office's 2002 report The BBC: Collecting the Television Licence Fee" indicated that the estimated evasion rate for Northern Ireland at the end of March 2001 was 17.6 per cent.
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