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17 July 2007 : Column 343W—continued

Departments: Compensation

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what total amount of compensation claims was made against public bodies for which his Department is responsible in the last 12 months; and if he will list the 10 highest such claims, identifying the nature of each case. [148185]

Mr. Lammy: This information is not held centrally by the Department and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Ethnic Groups

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will make a statement on his policy on support for minority groups within his Department. [148206]

Mr. Lammy: The Department was established on 28 June 2007 but, like predecessor Departments, we will be putting an equality and diversity delivery plan in place as a key part of our human resources strategy.

Departments: Legislation

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will list the (a) national and (b) European court cases since 1997 whose judgements have required a change in policy by his Department. [148217]

Mr. Lammy: The information requested is not routinely collated and so could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Racial Harassment

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which his Department is responsible have been (a) investigated and (b) upheld in the last 12 months. [149250]


17 July 2007 : Column 344W

Mr. Lammy: No complaints of racial abuse were investigated in the Department in the last 12 months. Formal complaints of racial abuse would be investigated quickly and thoroughly and, where complaints were upheld, appropriate disciplinary action would be taken. All cases are treated seriously.

The Department believes that each and every individual has the right to be treated fairly, with dignity and respect. As such, we do not tolerate unacceptable behaviour towards others. The overall aim of our harassment and bullying policy is to prevent such unacceptable behaviour occurring but, where it does occur, to ensure that appropriate and effective action is taken to deal with it and prevent it happening again. This applies to everyone in the Department. Every individual is personally responsible for their own behaviour, and every manager is responsible for enforcing the policy in accordance with the guidance and procedures set out in our staff handbook.

Education: Finance

Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much funding each relevant education institution received for improving retention in each of the last 10 years. [149092]

Bill Rammell: The Higher Education Funding Council for England allocates funding directly to higher education institutions towards the costs of widening participation activities. Since 2003-04 this allocation has included an element for improving retention, which is intended to increase student success. I have arranged for a table to be placed in the House of Commons Library detailing the amounts of funding allocated to each institution for the four years from 2003-04 to 2006-07. There was no specific allocation to institutions for improving retention prior to 2003-04: institutions then, as now, were expected to support student retention activities from within their overall block grant.

Student success within institutions arises from a wide range of factors including teaching quality and student support services. Supporting student success is therefore intrinsically linked with the total investment that institutions make, of which the improving retention element of the widening participation allocation is just one part.

Postgraduate Education

Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans he has to encourage more UK-domiciled graduates to study at postgraduate level. [149034]

Bill Rammell: Between 1996-97 and 2005-06, the latest year for which data are available, the number of UK domiciled students entering higher education to study at postgraduate level rose by 35,000 (26 per cent.) to 170,000. We will continue to support our world-class higher education system so that it remains attractive to students, whatever their background.


17 July 2007 : Column 345W

Postgraduate Education: Social Class

Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what percentage of postgraduates were from socioeconomic classes four to seven in each of the last 10 years, broken down by subject. [149033]


17 July 2007 : Column 346W

Bill Rammell: The latest information for enrolments on postgraduate courses by subject of study are given in the tables. A new classification for recording subject of study was introduced in 2002-03 and so figures from 2002-03 onwards are not comparable to earlier years.

Figures for postgraduate enrolments by social class are not available.

Number of UK domiciled postgraduate enrolments at higher education institutions in England (excluding the Open University) by subject of study, 1995/96 to 2001/02
Subject of study 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02

Medicine and dentistry

6,220

7,075

7,230

7,410

7,670

7,855

8,165

Subjects allied to medicine

10,070

11,040

12,130

13,605

14,195

15,600

17,615

Biological sciences

8,445

9,320

9,485

9,965

10,330

10,540

10,765

Veterinary sciences

240

305

250

255

245

230

260

Agriculture and related

785

805

895

970

1,015

1,225

1,370

Physical sciences

9,740

9,610

8,790

8,575

8,355

8,080

8,135

Mathematical sciences

2,210

2,020

1,815

1,635

1,740

1,790

2,115

Computer sciences

6,600

7,010

7,455

8,380

8,825

9,075

9,090

Engineering and technology

12,555

12,185

12,205

12,385

11,245

12,715

12,840

Architecture, building and planning

6,540

7,185

6,755

6,985

6,355

6,360

6,765

Social economic and political studies

17,505

18,070

17,875

18,425

17,845

17,790

18,180

Law

7,930

7,820

8,410

8,690

9,140

10,190

10,840

Business and administrative studies

34,110

37,415

38,450

38,540

38,740

37,365

37,605

Librarianship and information science

2,665

2,960

3,075

3,220

3,530

3,855

3,920

Languages

5,870

5,990

5,945

5,945

6,105

5,830

6,045

Humanities

6,970

7,525

7,695

8,065

7,880

7,900

8,080

Creative arts and design

5,560

6,080

6,315

6,355

6,710

6,780

6,840

Education

46,310

47,895

48,625

48,885

48,220

51,585

54,660

Combined

3,230

3,200

3,355

3,700

3,925

4,200

4,515

Total

193,550

203,525

206,750

211,985

212,065

218,970

227,800

Note:
Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December excluding those writing up, on sabbatical or dormant. Students from the Open University are also excluded from the analysis.
Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record


17 July 2007 : Column 347W

17 July 2007 : Column 348W
Number of UK domiciled postgraduate enrolments at higher education institutions in England (excluding the Open University) by subject of study, 2002/03 to 2005/06
Subject of study 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06

Medicine and dentistry

7,955

8,040

8,355

8,515

Subjects allied to medicine

19,240

21,940

23,880

24,520

Biological sciences

13,240

13,790

14,200

14,625

Veterinary sciences

235

270

285

340

Agriculture and related sciences

1,470

1,310

1,175

1,085

Physical sciences

8,165

8,275

7,940

7,930

Mathematical sciences

2,060

2,540

2,095

2,125

Computer sciences

8,625

7,855

6,905

6,055

Engineering and technology

11,985

11,285

11,235

10,520

Architecture, building and planning

6,775

6,840

6,965

7,715

Social sciences

17,490

18,145

17,940

18,500

Law

12,320

12,275

12,075

11,895

Business and administrative studies

40,305

37,585

36,565

35,375

Mass communications and documentation

3,805

3,790

3,740

3,740

Languages

6,555

6,765

6,380

6,300

Historical and philosophical studies

8,295

8,395

7,855

7,880

Creative arts and design

7,295

7,600

7,560

7,735

Education

57,710

61,340

64,020

66,235

Combined

780

830

615

640

Total

234,315

238,875

239,790

241,730

Note:
Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December excluding those writing up, on sabbatical or dormant. Students from the Open University are also excluded from the analysis.
Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record

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