David Willetts

Responding to Thursday’s HEFCE report “Trends in young participation in higher education: core results for England”, Shadow Secretary of State for Universities and Skills, David Willetts said:

“Conservatives believe that anyone who has the academic ability and ambition should have the opportunity to go to university, regardless of how wealthy their parents are. So it is welcome that more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are going to university.

“But some of the trends are moving in the wrong direction. Just one in five disadvantaged youngsters go to university, compared to well over half of young people from wealthier backgrounds and this gap is getting wider.

“If Labour were serious about improving social mobility they would adopt our policies to help disadvantaged young people get to university, such as providing 10,000 more university places in 2010. ”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. In 1994/95, 50% of young people from the most advantaged backgrounds entered higher education compared to only 13% from the most disadvantaged. This is a difference of 37%. Ten years later in 2004/05 the gap had widened to 55% and 15% respectively. This is a difference of 40%. Estimated figures show that in the period from 1994/95 to 2009/10 the participation rate will have only increased by 1%.(P5, Figure 2)

2. The gap between young males and females from poorer backgrounds entering higher education has grown since 1994/95. In 1995/95 there was only a 1% difference between males and females but in 2009/10 there was a 6% gap. (P10, Figure 7)