Written question asked by James Clappison (Conservative) on Monday, 4 July 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 6 July 2011. It was answered by Lord Willetts (Conservative) on Monday, 18 July 2011 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Higher Education: Admissions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what targets each higher education institution has agreed with the Office for Fair Access in each year since that office was established.

Answer: This is a matter for the Director of Fair Access. The Government made clear in their guidance letter to the Director that institutions should identify their own measures by which they will judge the success of their investment in access. The Government do not impose targets. They are chosen by individual institutions and agreed with the Office of Fair Access (OFFA).To date, OFFA has published sector level summary information on progress on milestones. This information is available in the relevant annual reports describing monitoring outcomes, available at:"www.offa.org.uk"From September 2012, the Director of Fair Access will assess annually the progress made by each institution towards appropriate benchmarks and other measures of widening participation, access and student retention that higher education institutions will have agreed with OFFA through their access agreements. OFFA will require institutions to publish a summary of their progress against their own proposed milestones and targets each year.

Secondary information