To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of foundation degrees he estimates will be validated by (a) further education colleges and (b) universities in each region in each year from 2009 to 2020, broken down by age group of students and taking into account the anticipated changes in demography in each region if the proposals currently before the House relating to franchise rights are enacted.

holding answer 6 June 2007

Estimates of the data requested have not been made by the Department.

A report published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in January 2007 (Foundation Degrees: Key Statistics 2001-02 to 2006-07) shows that in the academic year 2004-05, a total of 83 higher education institutions (HEIs) and 255 further education colleges were involved with foundation degree provision. The following table shows the number of students registered and taught at each type of institution, and whether these students were studying on a full-time or part-time basis:

It should not, however, be inferred from this data that any particular proportion of foundation degree students will in future be undertaking programmes at a college with powers to award its own foundation degrees.