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Lord Chan asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the 10 most popular courses attended by undergraduate and postgraduate students from:

(a) China;

(b) Hong Kong;

(c) Taiwan;

(d) Singapore;

(f) Thailand; and

(g) Indonesia in 2003–04. [HL217]

Lord Adonis: The latest information, showing the complete list of subject groups studied by students from these countries, is shown in the table.
 
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Postgraduate and undergraduate students from overseas at UK higher education institutions 2003–04

	Students from:
	China		Hong Kong		Taiwan
	PG	UG	PG	UG	PG	UG
Subject group:
Medicine and dentistry	105	15	120	140	55	20
Subjects allied to medicine	235	115	125	225	65	20
Biological sciences	315	380	65	360	115	45
Veterinary science	–	–	0	10	–	0
Agriculture and related subjects	75	45	5	35	5	–
Physical sciences	400	380	55	220	50	25
Mathematical sciences	270	785	40	290	40	25
Computer science	1,965	2,245	85	610	195	75
Engineering and technology	2,815	1,735	185	825	210	80
Architecture, building and planning	485	260	85	400	90	30
Social studies	1,410	1,885	135	460	240	60
Law	1,135	205	145	490	50	5
Business and administrative studies	8,755	8,780	660	2,045	1,290	275
Mass communications/documentation	520	315	40	90	120	20
Languages	565	2,915	90	350	295	150
Historical and philosophical studies	45	55	40	80	50	15
Creative arts and design	470	495	100	540	280	240
Education	705	140	485	265	335	10
Combined courses	5	535	0	50	5	25
Total	20,265	21,290	2,455	7,485	3,485	1,120

Postgraduate and undergraduate students from overseas at UK higher education institutions 2003–04 continued

	Students from:
	Malaysia		Singapore		Thailand		Indonesia
	PG	UG	PG	UG	PG	UG	PG	UG
Subject group:
Medicine and dentistry	130	845	50	260	55	15	5	10
Subjects allied to medicine	105	280	30	80	40	50	5	5
Biological sciences	135	120	35	125	50	30	15	20
Veterinary science	5	5	–	10	5	0	0	–
Agriculture and related subjects	20	10	5	5	20	–	10	–
Physical sciences	100	55	30	60	85	25	15	10
Mathematical sciences	60	130	15	45	20	20	5	10
Computer science	320	590	40	85	105	45	45	30
Engineering and technology	935	2,405	185	580	300	170	110	50
Architecture, building and planning	180	395	30	50	65	15	25	5
Social studies	140	240	85	285	200	75	50	25
Law	255	540	65	355	100	20	20	10
Business and administrative studies	610	1,290	305	210	905	155	190	115
Mass communications/documentation	50	105	20	20	35	10	25	10
Languages	75	185	25	100	60	80	5	20
Historical and philosophical studies	30	30	25	50	10	20	5	5
Creative arts and design	75	145	40	120	75	105	15	20
Education	185	40	160	5	85	5	15	5
Combined courses	-	25	0	10	0	5	0	5
Total	3,400	7,430	1,150	2,465	2,220	850	555	350

Source:


Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Figures have been rounded to the nearest five; a dash (–) indicates that the number is greater than zero but less than three.






 
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City Academies

Lord Smith of Leigh asked Her Majesty's Government:

What the capital costs of the current city academies have been. [HL296]

Lord Adonis: Capital expenditure by the department to the end of the 2004–05 financial year on the 17 open academies was £341 million.

Health Professions Council: Chiropody and Podiatry

Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many applicants for "grandparenting" on to the Health Professions Council register for chiropody and podiatry have been asked to undertake top-up training in order to reach the required standards of proficiency; and how many such applicants have been admitted to the register following completion of a top-up training course. [HL387]

The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): The Department of Health does not hold this information. The Health Professions Council is an independent statutory body responsible for the regulation of chiropody and podiatry, and can supply these data.

Four-wheel Drive Vehicles: Off-road Use

Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:

What evidence they have about the illegal use of four-wheel drive vehicles off ordinary roads; and what plans they have to deal with this problem. [HL285]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Bach): Following the department's research project on the use of byways open to all traffic, published in January, we now intend to conduct a research project to ascertain the extent of the illegal use, by motorised vehicles, of other rights of way and land off-road. The project will be taken forward later this year.

In addition, to fulfil a commitment made in The Government's Framework for Action (January 2005) on the use of mechanically propelled vehicles on rights of way, we shall be publishing a comprehensive enforcement guidance document this summer. The
 
13 Jun 2005 : Column WA114
 
guidance will set out examples of enforcement best practice and will clarify the extensive powers already available to deal with the illegal use of vehicles on rights of way and off-road.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether a travelator connection between Stratford International station and the present Stratford station was included in the authorised Channel Tunnel Rail Link scheme; and what commitment was given to Parliament that this would be built as part of the scheme. [HL330]

Lord Davies of Oldham: The provision of a mechanical link such as a travelator between Stratford International and Stratford regional stations was a condition of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (Stratford Station and Subsidiary Works) Order 2001. Investigations and discussions continue on the most appropriate form of such a link.

Passenger Transport Executives

Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they expect to publish their proposed guidance in relation to the role of passenger transport executives. [HL389]

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government expect to publish the guidance later this month.

Cabinet Office: Policy Co-ordination

Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the aims and objectives of the Cabinet Office include supporting Ministers collectively and providing efficient arrangements for collective decision making. [HL281]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Yes. A key Cabinet Office objective is to achieve co-ordination of policy and operations across government. The work of the Cabinet Committee secretariats is crucial to achieving this objective. The secretariats support Ministers collectively and provide efficient arrangements for collective decision making.

Further information about the work of the secretariats was published in the Cabinet Office Departmental Report 2004 (cm 6226) available at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about–the–cabinet–office/reports.asp and in the Library.

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