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21 Mar 2005 : Column 567W—continued
Universities (Projected Income)
Mr. Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the projected income from (a) tuition and (b) top-up fees to British universities is for each year from 2005–06 to 2010–11. [223061]
Dr. Howells: The income from tuition fees 1 for English Higher Education Institutions in 2005–06 is forecast to be £910 million.
From 2006/07, institutions will be free to set fees up to £3,000 for new students. Figures for income from fees from 2006/07 onwards will depend on the pattern of fee charging by institutions and the way that students respond to that pattern. If 91 per cent. of students were charged £3,000 and the remaining 9 per cent. £2000, we estimate that the fee income on a steady state basis on 2006/07 student numbers would be around £2.3 billion.
University Admissions
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many applications there were from school pupils for full-time courses at universities in England to commence study in each year from 2001 to 2004 inclusive; and how many applications have been made for enrolment in 2005, excluding applications for deferred entry in 2006. [222522]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 17 March 2005]: Information for the years 2001 to 2004, showing the total number of students who applied throughout the application cycle, is shown in the following table. Thelatest available figures for 2005 entry show that, as at 15 January, 284,359 students from England had applied. We expect to receive updated information in April. The number of applicants who intend to defer entry is not held centrally.
| Year of entry | Total applicants(14) |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 330,856 |
| 2002 | 331,602 |
| 2003 | 337,593 |
| 2004 | 339,967 |
(14)Covers all students who applied at any point in the application cycle, including those who applied during the clearing process in August of each year.
Source:
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
Wirral Schools Services Ltd.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State forEducation and Skills how much was paid to Jarvis plc for the sale of its equity in Wirral Schools Services Ltd. [222895]
Mr. Stephen Twigg:
I am not able to disclose this information, since it is not for the Department to comment on financial negotiations between two commercial companies.
21 Mar 2005 : Column 568W
PRIME MINISTER
Attorney-General
Mr. Drew: To ask the Prime Minister how many times the Attorney-General has attended Cabinet since 2002; and on what issues he has produced written evidence for the Prime Minister. [222547]
The Prime Minister: Since 2002, the Attorney-General has attended Cabinet 24 times. There is a long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, that the fact that the Law Officers have advised on a particular issue is not publicly disclosed. There is a strong public interest in allowing Government to have a clear space, immune from exposure to public view, in which it can debate matters internally with candour and free from the pressures of public political debate, including in deciding whether it should seek advice from its principal legal adviser, the Attorney-General.
Richard Ottaway: To ask the Prime Minister when the Attorney-General first gave him his advice on the case for war; and in what form. [221613]
The Prime Minister: As indicated in paragraph 374 of the Butler Report, the Attorney-General gave initial advice prior to the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 1441. The date of this advice is withheld as it relates to the formation of Government policy.
Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister how many pages constituted the legal opinion provided to Cabinet setting out the Attorney-General's advice on the legality of military action against Iraq in March 2003. [221740]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Solicitor-General (Harriet Harman) gave him on 20 December 2004, Official Report, column 1335W, and to the letter of 10 March 2005 from the Attorney-General to my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short), copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Attorney-General attended the whole of the meeting of the Cabinet on 17 March 2003. [221818]
The Prime Minister: The Attorney-General did attend the whole meeting of the Cabinet on 17 March 2003.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the oral answer given on 9 March 2005, Official Report, column 1514 to the hon. Member for Linlothgow (Mr.Dalyell), in what form the oral report given by the Attorney-General was recorded in the notes of the Cabinet meeting; and when these notes were made available to the full Cabinet. [221920]
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister (1)whether the advice he received from the Attorney-General regarding the war in Iraq discussed in Cabinet on 17 March 2003 was placed before any other ministerial committee; [221817]
(2) whether the Cabinet meeting on 17 March 2003 discussed any business other than the advice of the Attorney-General regarding war with Iraq. [221819]
21 Mar 2005 : Column 569W
The Prime Minister: The proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings are not generally disclosed, in order to ensure the protection of information whose disclosure would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Conduct of Committee Guidelines
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the Cabinet Office guidelines on the conduct of Cabinet and Ministerial Committee business. [221820]
The Prime Minister: The Cabinet Office provides two sources of guidance on the conduct of Cabinet business. The Ministerial Code sets out the arrangements for collective consideration of business by Cabinet and Cabinet Committees. The Code is amplified by Cabinet Committee Business: a Guide for Departments". Copies of each are available in the Libraries of the House.
Japan
Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister when he received a letter from Sakue Shimohira on behalf of the Association for the Bereaved Families of the Atomic Bomb Dead in Nagasaki; and what response he has made. [221735]
The Prime Minister: As far as I am aware, I have not received the letter.
Mr. Paul Wolfowitz
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister whether he was consulted by President Bush about the qualifications in international development and world poverty matters of Mr. Paul Wolfowitz before he received the American nomination to the post of President of the World Bank; and if he will make a statement. [223457]
The Prime Minister:
It is not the practice of the Government to make public details of all discussions with foreign governments.
21 Mar 2005 : Column 570W
DEFENCE
Defence Aviation Repair Agency
Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is considering (a) a sale or (b) a privatisation of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency. [222639]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence is conducting a review of the potential future status options for DARA and its Business Units. This work is being carried out without prejudice or preconception. The analysis currently being done by Morgan Stanley to test market interest does not, in any sense, imply that we see sale to the private sector as a preferred option, and any industry interest in any of DARA's business units will be judged impartially against a full range of options, including retaining DARA in-house. The criteria for any final decision will be quality of support to the front line and overall value for money. I aim to reach conclusions about the way forward for DARA, if at all possible, by the middle of 2005.
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