Written question asked by Mark Pritchard (Conservative) on Monday, 14 January 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 16 January 2008. It was answered by Bill Rammell (Labour) on Monday, 3 March 2008 on behalf of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Wolverhampton University: Grants

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will hold discussions with the management of Wolverhampton University on the impact of proposed changes to equivalent learning qualification funding.

Answer: No students currently studying equivalent or lower qualifications (ELQs) will be affected by these changes. In future, our policy of redistributing grant will widen participation and mean that more of the millions people of working age, of whom there are many in the West Midland, who do not have a first higher-level qualification, especially those from non-traditional backgrounds, will be able to benefit from participating in Higher education. Wolverhampton University is well-placed to attract and retain more first-time entrants to Higher Education which is our top priority. However, all we have asked HEFCE to do is redistribute about £100 million by 2010. Wolverhampton’s share of this sum will be less than £1 million which is less than 1 per cent. of its overall annual income.

Secondary information