Spink - Student loans
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what rates of interest have been charged to students who have loans with the Student Loans Company over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [265384]
Mr. Lammy: The interest rates applicable to student loans for the last five academic years are as follows:
2004/05 2.6 (Income contingent repayment loans) 2.6 (Mortgage-style loans)
2005/06 3.2 3.2
2006/07 2.4 2.4
2007/08 4.8 4.8
2008/09(1) 3.8 3.8
2008/09(2)3.0 -
2008/09(3)2.5 -
2008/09(4)2.0 -
2008/09(5)1.5 -
(1) From 1 September 2008(2) From 5 December 2008(3) From 9 January 2009(4) From 6 February 2009(5) From 6 March 2009
The interest rate to be charged on mortgage-style student loans, i.e. those taken out before 1 September 1998, is set out in the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990 and the Education (Student Loans) Regulations 1998, which provide for a link to the Retail Price Index (RPI).
Specifically, the interest rate for an academic year is the annual movement in the RPI for the year to the previous March. Therefore, the interest rate of 3.8 per cent. for 24 Mar 2009 : Column 346W the 2008/09 academic year reflects movements in the RPI for the year to March 2008.
The legislative provisions for Income Contingent Repayment student loans, i.e. those taken out since 1 September 1998, also provide a link to the RPI. However, once set each September, the rate of interest must not exceed 1 per cent. above the highest of the base rates of a specified number of banks (the 'low' interest cap).
The low interest cap was triggered in December 2008 when the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England reduced the bank base rate 'in year' to 2 per cent. and further reduced it in January, February and March of 2009.
Sanders - Student loans
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many graduates who are earning between £15,000 and £30,000 are making student loan repayments. [264769]
Mr. Lammy: In tax year 2006-07, the most recent year for which published data were available, 324,900 English-domiciled borrowers with earnings between £15,000 and £30,000 were repaying their income contingent student loans.
This figure is not comparable with figures published in the Student Loans Statistical First Release because it is calculated on a tax year basis whereas the SFR figures are calculated on a financial year basis.
Price - Tuition fees
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will consult the Welsh Assembly Government as part of the review of the cap on tuition fees. [265505]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 20 March 2009]: The review will be independent of the Government, but we would expect it to consult widely both within the higher education sector, and outside, before delivering its findings.
There was a commitment to Parliament to review the cap on tuition fees after the first group of students who paid variable fees completed their degrees. As such, the review cannot start before this summer.
Wilson, Sammy - Students
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (1) what percentage of university students are UK nationals; [264738] (2) what percentage of undergraduate places on science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses in universities in England are filled by UK nationals. [264739]
Mr. Lammy: Nationality is not a compulsory return on the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record. As domicile is compulsory (and is therefore included for all students), this has been provided as an alternative.
In the 2007/08 academic year, 85 per cent. of enrolments on higher education courses at English higher education institutions were UK domiciled.
The following table shows the percentage of undergraduate enrolments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses who were UK domiciled.
Undergraduate enrolments( 1) on science, technology, engineering and mathematics( 2) courses by domicile, English higher education institutions, academic year 2007/08
Subject of study
Medicine and dentistry 91 (Percentage UK domiciled)
Subjects allied to medicine 95
Biological sciences 94
Veterinary science 95
Agriculture and related subjects 93
Physical sciences 94
Mathematical sciences 86
Computer science 89
Engineering and technology 78
Architecture, building & planning 89
(1 )Covers undergraduate enrolments to both full-time and part-time courses.(2 )The subjects listed in the table are what the Department define as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. Note: Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
Kumar - Academic research
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent steps he has taken to promote scientific research in universities in (a) England, (b) the North East and (c) Tees Valley district. [264373]
Mr. Lammy: Government investment in science and research is at record levels, and will reach just under £6 billion by 2010-11. Much of this funding is allocated to universities.
This takes Government support for the UK's research base to its highest ever level and will enable the UK to maintain its leading position in research excellence, as well as helping to build a stronger economy.
Funding is allocated on the basis of research excellence, not geographical location.
In 2006-07, Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) recurrent research grants and Research Council grants to universities in England totalled £2.3 billion, of which £97 million went to universities in the north-east.
Willetts - Higher education admissions
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many first-time male entrants to higher education first degree courses there were in each year since 1998. [264928]
Mr. Lammy: The latest available information is shown in the table. Figures refer to male entrants whose highest qualification on entry was below higher education level. Although this excludes entrants who already hold a HE qualification, this does not exclude those who have attended HE in the past, but not received a qualification.
Male first-time( 1) entrants( 2) to first degree courses, UK higher education institutions, academic years 1998/99 to 2007/08
Academic year
1998/99 146,355 (Male entrants)
1999/2000 143,290
2000/01 141,515
2001/02 146,825
2002/03 152,360
2003/04 154,465
2004/05 152,395
2005/06 161,295
2006/07 155,275
2007/08 162,060
(1 )Covers entrants whose highest qualification on entry was below HE level. This does not exclude those who may have attended HE in the past without gaining a qualification. Includes entrants with a missing highest qualification on entry.
(2 )Covers entrants of all domiciles to both full-time and part-time first degree courses. Note: Figures are based on a snapshot basis as at 1 December and have been rounded to the nearest five. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
Willetts - Gifted children (higher education)
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of young people identified as gifted and talented went on to higher education in the latest year for which figures are available. [264927]
Mr. Lammy: The Government remain committed to widening participation in higher education and to securing fair access for gifted and talented students. It is an economic as well as a social imperative that everyone who can benefit from higher education has the opportunity to do so.
Widening participation is about spotting and nurturing talent, with schools, colleges and universities working together to ensure that all those with the potential and merit to benefit from higher education are able to do so.
The gifted and talented flag was not introduced into the National Pupil Database until 2006 and we do not yet have data on HE destinations that can be linked to this flag.
The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY) catered for the national top 5 per cent. of 11 to 19-year-olds from 2002 to 2007. It has now been replaced by the Young Gifted and Talented (YG and T) Learner Academy.
NAGTY's 2006 Student Exit Survey Questionnaire showed that, of those completing the questionnaire:
- 87 per cent. said they went straight on to continue their education at university
- 8 per cent. were taking a gap year before going into higher education.