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16 Mar 2010 : Column 840W—continued
Further Education: Manpower
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average staff to student ratio is in (a) York College and (b) further education colleges in England. [312888]
Kevin Brennan: Information on staff to student ratios is not collected centrally.
Information on the number of staff contracts is published in a report by Lifelong Learning UK, 'Further Education Workforce Data for England':
Annex 2 gives information on the number of contracts for further education colleges in 2007-08.
Information on the number of learners participating in further education is published in a quarterly statistical first release:
Greater Manchester
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will set out, with statistical information related as directly as possible to Manchester, Gorton constituency, the effects on that constituency of the policies of his Department and its predecessors since 1997. [322136]
Mr. McFadden: The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at:
The Government have put in place a broad programme of reform since 1997. Over the decade to 2007, the economic performance of all parts of the UK has improved considerably. The global recession has had a negative impact on economic activity in all areas of the UK. However, the economy was starting from a position of strength and is actively supported by policies implemented by the Government, including the fiscal stimulus and a significant package of support for those out of work.
In Gorton people are benefiting from this investment. At the start of 2010, total claimant count unemployment stood at 5.7 per cent., compared to 8.1 per cent. in May 1997; while long-term unemployment (more than 18 months) stood at 0.3 per cent. compared to 2.2 per cent. in May 1997.
Higher Education: Finance
Stephen Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many first year undergraduate places in universities the Government plan to fund in academic year 2010-11; and if he will make a statement. [322275]
Mr. Lammy: Our grant letter to Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) this year confirmed additional teaching grant funding for the equivalent of an extra 10,000 full-time-equivalent places in 2010-11. We did not specify whether these Additional Student Numbers should be full or part time, undergraduate or postgraduate, but HEFCE estimate that this will result in around 4,000 additional HEFCE funded full-time first year entrants.
Data on the 2010-11 student population, including the number of first year undergraduate entrants, will be published early in 2012.
Higher Education: Overseas Students
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the number of foreign students who (a) were offered and (b) accepted a place to study a degree course at university in academic year 2009-10; and if he will make a statement. [322434]
Mr. Lammy: The information is shown in the following table.
| Non-UK domiciled UCAS applicants receiving degree offers/accepted to degree courses in the UK | ||
| Domicile | Received main scheme offers | Accepted for entry |
| Source: UCAS | ||
In the main scheme, each applicant can submit up to five choices (with the exception of courses in medicine/dentistry/veterinary medicine where only four choices are permitted). Each choice is for a different course. Based on the offers they receive from institutions, the applicant may choose one firm and one insurance choice. The offers stipulate the exam grades required, in addition to any non-academic conditions, in order for the applicant to be accepted on the course.
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students who do not speak English as a first language (a) were offered and (b) accepted a place on a degree course at university for academic year 2009-10; and if he will make a statement. [322436]
Mr. Lammy: The information is not held centrally. Universities are autonomous bodies and set their own entry requirements. These will include assessment of competence in English language to ensure that students are able to benefit from their studies.
Higher Education: Part-time Education
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he made of the number of English domiciled part-time undergraduate students who received a full fee grant who studied (a) between 30 and 49, (b) between 50 and 59, (c) between 60 and 74 and (d) 75 per cent. or more of a full-time course in the latest year for which figures are available. [321946]
Mr. Lammy: Prior to 2000/01 there was no statutory financial support for part-time students. The current system of support was introduced in 2004; it comprises a course grant to help pay towards course costs such as books and travel and a fee grant to help pay towards fees.
Fee grants are available to part-time students on courses of no less than 50 per cent. of an equivalent full-time course.
| English domiciled students known to be awarded full part-time fee grants academic year 2008/09( 1) | |
| Intensity (percentage of equivalent full-time course) | Applicants known to be awarded full fee grants |
| (1) Approved applicants awarded fee grants. Figures rounded to nearest 100. Source: Student Loans Company and Open University applications data | |
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of English-domiciled part-time undergraduate students who did not have a level 4 qualification on entry to their course in the latest year for which figures are available. [321947]
Mr. Lammy: In the academic year 2008/09 there were 197,160 English-domiciled part-time undergraduate student enrolments who did not have a level 4 or above qualification on entry to their course at a UK higher education institution (including the Open university). There were 224,870 who did have a level 4 or above qualification on entry to their course and a further 35,465 whose qualification level on entry was unknown or missing.
Of those with known highest qualification on entry, 47 per cent. did not have a level 4 or above qualification on entry to their course.
Figures are taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of English-domiciled part-time undergraduate students (a) with and (b) without a level 4 qualification on entry to their course who studied (i) less than 30, (ii) between 31 and 49, (iii) between 50 and 59, (iv) between 60 and 74 and (v) 75 per cent. or more of a full-time course in the latest year for which figures are available. [321948]
Mr. Lammy: Statistics for 2008/09 are provided in the table. Figures are provided for part-time student enrolments as full-time equivalents. There were 144,005 full-time equivalent (FTE) enrolments at undergraduate level whose highest qualification on entry was known and a further 9,815 FTE undergraduates whose qualification level on entry was unknown or missing. The proportions provided in the table are based on those students with known highest qualification on entry information.
| English-domiciled full-time equivalent undergraduate enrolments by level of qualification on entry UK higher education institutions. Academic year 2008/09 | ||||
| With a Level 4 or higher qualification on entry | Without a Level 4 or higher qualification on entry | |||
| Full-time equivalent (percentage) | Number | Proportion (percentage) | Number | Proportion (percentage) |
| Notes: 1. Figures are based on a Higher Education Statistics Agency Standard Registration Population. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest five so components may not sum to totals. 3. Percentages are based on unrounded figures. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). | ||||
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how much his Department spent on (a) fee and (b) course grant payments for English-domiciled part-time students in the latest year for which figures are available; [321949]
(2) how many and what proportion of English-domiciled part-time undergraduate students received a (a) full and (b) partial fee grant in the latest period for which figures are available; [321950]
(3) how many and what proportion of English-domiciled part-time undergraduate students received a (a) fee and (b) course grant in the latest period for which figures are available. [321951]
Mr. Lammy: Prior to 2000/01 there was no statutory financial support for part-time students. The current system of support was introduced in 2004; it comprises a course grant to help pay towards course costs such as books and travel and a fee grant to help pay towards fees.
| English domiciled students awarded part-time fee and course grants academic year 2008/09( 1) | ||
| Students | Value (£ million) | |
| (1) Table shows approved applicants rounded to nearest 100 and award entitlement amounts rounded to nearest £100,000. Source: Student Loans Company and Open University applications data | ||
There are three rates of maximum fee grant, which depend on the intensity of the course.
| Grant level of English domiciled students awarded part-time fee grant. Academic year 2008/09( 1) | ||
| Grant level | Students | Percentage of all awarded fee grant |
| (1) Table shows approved applicants rounded to nearest 100. (2) Students with a fee grant who had no intensity of study recorded on the statistical database. Therefore it could not be ascertained whether their level of grant was the maximum for their level of study. Source: Student Loans Company and Open University applications data | ||
It is estimated that around 10 per cent. of part-time students are awarded a fee grant, and around 10 per cent. are awarded a course grant. This is based on all part-time students, some of whom are not eligible for support. To be eligible for grants, a part-time student must be on a course of no less than 50 per cent. of an equivalent course and not already have a degree.
Higher Education: Standards
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent meetings on university targets (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have attended. [321676]
Mr. Lammy: Government remains committed to the long-term goal that 50 per cent. of young people should enter higher education. Alongside our aim of a greater diversity of learners, we want to continue to deliver widening participation and to equip both our future and existing workforce with the skills that globalisation and a knowledge economy demand.
Higher education Initial Participation Rate is at 43 per cent. for 2007-08 (with 2008-09 figures to be published at end of March), so we are ahead of trajectory against our target indicator. There have been no recent meetings with Ministers or officials on this matter.
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