| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
24 Nov 2005 : Column 2169W—continued
University Access
16. Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress is being made on increasing the number of children from socially deprived backgrounds going to university. [31324]
Bill Rammell: In the past few years, we have seen a steady widening of participation in higher education. Performance indicators published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that the proportion of students from non-traditional backgrounds has increased across a range of measures. The proportion from low participation neighbourhoods, for example, rose from 12.1 per cent. to 13.9 per cent. between 1997/98 and 2003/04, the latest year for which figures are available.
19. Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to require university places to be allocated after A-level grades have been awarded. [31327]
Bill Rammell: The Department is currently consulting on a number of proposals for changes to the higher education applications process, including the option of introducing a system of post-qualification applications" (PQA). The consultation offers two possible PQA models and welcomes the idea that new approaches may appear as a result of the discussion the consultation will stimulate. The consultation ends on 5 December after which there will be a period to analyse the responses.
Further Education
17. David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the Foster review of further education. [31325]
Ruth Kelly: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire.
Local Education Authorities
18. Stephen Hammond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made
24 Nov 2005 : Column 2170W
of the likely effect on the roles of local education authorities of the proposals in the recent schools White Paper. [31326]
Ruth Kelly: The White Paper sets out an enhanced role for local authorities as the champions of parents and pupils, rather than the direct provider of school places. Local authorities will have new powers to commission school places and to intervene where provision is poor.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding each local education authority in England received in (a) 2005–06 and (b) 1996–97. [31333]
Jacqui Smith: Comparable figures are not available for 1996–97. The following table sets out the figures for 1997–98 and 2005–06. Total funding includes funding via education formula spending/standard spending assessment and revenue grants allocated at an LEA level. It excludes the pensions transfer to EPS and the Learning and Skills Council, and is in real terms.
Notes:
1.Price base: real terms at 2004–05 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 28 September 2005.
2.Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of education SSA/EPS settlements and exclude the pensions transfer to EPS and LSC.
3.Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DfES departmental expenditure limits relevant to pupils aged 3–19 and exclude education maintenance allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level.
4.Where responsibility for funding a school has transferred from an LEA, related funding no longer appears in the series.
5.Rounding: figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million.
6.Status: 2005–06 figures are provisional as some grants have not yet been finalised/audited.
7.1997–98 figures for LEAs subject to local government re-organisation in that year have been estimated, pro-rata to their post LGR figures.
24 Nov 2005 : Column 2172W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |