{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?max-date=2018-02-19&hansardHeading=Universities%3A+Admissions", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?max-date=2018-02-19&hansardHeading=Universities%3A+Admissions", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?max-date=2018-02-19&_metadata=all&hansardHeading=Universities%3A+Admissions", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=0&max-date=2018-02-19&hansardHeading=Universities%3A+Admissions", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?max-date=2018-02-19&hansardHeading=Universities%3A+Admissions", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?max-date=2018-02-19&hansardHeading=Universities%3A+Admissions", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/832978", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/832978/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are independent, autonomous bodies and as such, they are responsible for their own admissions decisions. HEIs are best placed to decide on the information that will help to identify the candidates with the talent and potential to succeed at that institution or on a particular course, including vocational qualifications.<\/p>

<\/p>

In 2017, 3.5% of UK 18-year-old students were accepted into full-time undergraduate higher education with BTEC qualifications only, including to the most selective institutions \u2013 a 1.1% points increase since 2012. In developing new T-levels, technical study programmes that will be akin to A-levels, we have been clear that they must support progression to higher education options, including technical degrees.<\/p>

<\/p>

This government is committed to widening participation to higher education for students from disadvantaged and under-represented groups.<\/p>

<\/p>

Following the introduction of the Higher Education and Research Act, from January 2018, the Office for Students (OfS), with a new Director for Fair Access and Participation appointed by the Secretary of State, will take on responsibility for widening participation in higher education. The OfS will have a statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity across the whole lifecycle for disadvantaged students, not just access. As a result, widening access and participation will be at the core of the OfS\u2019 functions.<\/p>

<\/p>

In addition, our reforms will introduce a Transparency Duty requiring higher education providers to publish application, offer, acceptance, dropout and attainment rates of students broken down by ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background. This will highlight those higher education institutions that need to go further and faster to widen participation in higher education.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3980", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Surrey"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Sam Gyimah"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-02-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-02-01T16:18:18.117Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department plans to encourage universities in the Russell Group to recognise vocational qualifications as part of their admissions process; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4658", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Sobel"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds North West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Sobel"} ], "uin" : "125294"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/829920", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/829920/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The attached table shows the proportion of students that were at the end of 16\u201118 study (taking A level or other level 3 qualifications) in Barnsley East, East Hampshire and all of England and progressed to study at a UK Higher Education Institution for at least two terms in a given academic year. Information on destinations in academic years 2010-11 to 2015-16 is given. This is the most recent data available.<\/p>

Information on pupil destinations is published annually on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-destinations<\/a>.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3980", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Surrey"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Sam Gyimah"} , "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/829920/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "124667 - Students with sustained destinations at UK Higher Education Institutions.docx"} , "title" : "Students with sustained destinations at UK HEIs"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-29T15:41:02.867Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of young people leaving educational institutions after completing A-Level studies in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) East Hampshire constituency and (c) England enrolled in university courses in each year since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4607", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephanie Peacock"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephanie Peacock"} ], "uin" : "124667"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/803730", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/803730/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

There are already record numbers of disadvantaged English 18 years olds benefitting from full-time higher education, and universities expect to spend over £860 million in 2018/19 on measures to improve the access and success of disadvantaged students, up from £404 million in 2009, through their access agreements.<\/p>

<\/p>

The Higher Education and Research Act includes a transparency duty requiring all universities to publish applications, offers, acceptance and retention rates broken down by gender, ethnicity and social economic background. This will help to hold universities to account for their records on access and retention.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-12-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-12-11T17:44:28.977Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "What steps the Government is taking to ensure that more students from disadvantaged backgrounds go to university.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4635", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Eddie Hughes"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Eddie Hughes"} ], "uin" : "902866"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/804529", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/804529/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes statistics on students enrolled at UK higher education institutions (HEIs), including information on the location of each student\u2019s permanent home address before they started their course (known as \u201cdomicile\u201d). Across all English HEIs, 0.3% of students enrolled in the academic year 2015/16 were domiciled in the Sunderland local council area and 3.4% were domiciled in the North East region.<\/p>

<\/p>

The attached tables detail the numbers of students who were enrolled at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in the academic year 2015/16 who were domiciled in the Sunderland local council area, the North East region and England respectively, broken down by level of study.<\/p>

<\/p>

Overall, 0.1% of students enrolled at the University of Oxford were domiciled in the Sunderland local council area, and 1.3% domiciled in the North East region as a whole.<\/p>

<\/p>

Overall, 0.1% of students enrolled at the University of Cambridge were domiciled in the Sunderland local council area, and 1.4% domiciled in the North East region as a whole.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"} , "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/804529/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "118731 - Attachment - 121217.docx"} , "title" : "Enrolments by level of study for selected domicile"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-12-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-12-14T15:24:11.79Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of students studying at (a) Oxford and (b) Cambridge university came from (a) Sunderland and (b) the north east of England.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4046", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Bridget Phillipson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Houghton and Sunderland South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Bridget Phillipson"} ], "uin" : "118731"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/790241", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/790241/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

We do not hold information in the requested format on the number of applications and entries into university by children in need.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-11-23T13:13:00.827Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-11-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of children in need (a) applied to and (b) entered university in each year since 2015.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1506", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Gwynne"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Denton and Reddish"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Gwynne"} ], "uin" : "113315"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/784853", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/784853/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

This Government is committed to widening participation to higher education for students from disadvantaged and under-represented groups.<\/p>

The independent Office for Fair Access led by the Director of Fair Access (DfA) is the regulator currently responsible for widening access to higher education in England. Higher education providers wishing to charge tuition fees above the basic fee level must have an Access Agreement, setting out their targets and planned expenditure to improve access for disadvantaged and under-represented groups, and approved by the DfA. Prior to approval, the Director negotiates with institutions to ensure that Access Agreements are stretching and appropriately demanding. Higher Education Institutions are independent from Government and autonomous - legislation specifically precludes Government from interfering with university admissions.<\/p>

The proportion of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds going into higher education rose from 13.6% in 2009 to 19.5% in 2016 - an increase of 43%. We have also seen record entry rates for young people across all ethnic groups including at the most prestigious institutions, and record entry rates for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to the most selective universities. There is however, much more to do.<\/p>

<\/p>

In our guidance to the DfA, published in February 2016, we asked for the most selective institutions, which include the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, to make faster progress on widening access, and to ensure their outreach is more effective. The guidance acknowledged that within this group of institutions there is wide variation, with some demonstrating little progress.<\/p>

Access agreements for the 2018/19 academic year show that the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge plan to spend over £22 million on measures to further improve access and student success for students from disadvantaged and under-represented backgrounds.<\/p>

Following the introduction of the Higher Education and Research Act, from January 2018, the Office for Students (OfS), with a new Director for Fair Access and Participation appointed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, will take on responsibility for widening participation in higher education. The OfS will have a statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity across the whole lifecycle for disadvantaged students, not just access. As a result, widening access and participation will be at the core of the OfS\u2019 functions. In addition, our reforms will introduce a Transparency Duty requiring higher education providers to publish application, offer, acceptance, drop-out and attainment rates of students broken down by ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background. This will shine a spotlight on those higher education institutions that need to go further and faster to widen participation in higher education.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-11-17T14:48:53.033Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of steps taken by Oxford and Cambridge Universities to improve access and widen participation from under-represented groups; and if she will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/206", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Lammy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tottenham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Lammy"} ], "uin" : "111507"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/775991", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/775991/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are entering at record rates to the most selective universities. There are also record entry rates across all ethnic groups.<\/p>

The guidance to the Director of Fair Access (DfA), published in February 2016, asked for the most selective institutions, to make faster progress on widening access, and to ensure their outreach is more focused. This report can be found in the attached document.<\/p>

The DfA has agreed access agreements for 2018/19 with plans for universities to spend more than £860 million on measures to continue to support improving access and student success for students from disadvantaged and under-represented backgrounds, up significantly from £404 million in 2009. We are introducing sweeping reforms through legislation. The Higher Education and Research Act includes a transparency duty requiring all universities to publish applications, offers, and acceptance and retention rates broken down by gender, ethnicity and social economic background. This will help to hold them to account for their performance on access and retention. In addition, we expect all universities, particularly the most selective, to help raise attainment and support school improvement, including through school sponsorship and by establishing new state schools.<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4169", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Younger of Leckie"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-11-06T18:00:41.317Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to increase the diversity of the undergraduate body of students at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4238", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Storey"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Storey"} ], "uin" : "HL2399"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/774353", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/774353/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

In our consultation, published last week, on the framework that will inform the Office for Student\u2019s (OfS) regulatory approach, we set out the opportunity the transition provides, to engender a step change in social mobility. The creation of the OfS creates an opportunity to strengthen ties between schools, colleges and universities, to support students to access, participate, succeed in, and progress from, higher education.<\/p>

<\/p>

The Government believes the UK\u2019s world class higher education sector has a depth of expertise and resource to draw on \u2013 in governance, teaching and finance \u2013 which could help our state schools to improve, therefore helping to drive social mobility.<\/p>

<\/p>

In February this year the Director of Fair Access strengthened guidance on access agreements, by asking the sector to increase the pace and scope of its work with schools, to raise attainment for those from disadvantaged and under-represented groups. The Government endorses this guidance and expects a continuation in this direction of travel, through the transition to the OfS. The Government expects more higher education institutions to come forward to be involved in school sponsorship and in establishing new state schools, to help raise attainment and support school improvement.<\/p>

In addition to the important role higher education institutions can play in raising attainment and supporting school improvement, the Government also recognises the role they can play in raising the aspirations of young people, to support social mobility. In line with the latest guidance to the Director of Fair Access (February 2016), the Government expects higher education institutions to continue to build long term relationships with schools, through their outreach programmes, to help raise aspirations starting at primary school years.<\/p>

<\/p>

Through their 2018/19 access agreements universities and colleges expect to spend £196.9 million on access activities, including outreach (part of the total £860 million expected access agreement spend), an increase of £25.8 million or 15.1 per cent compared with 2017-18 (£171.1 million).<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-10-25T16:06:26.807Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Office for Students on the benefits of universities engaging with schools and students under the age of 16 to improve social mobility.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/465", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gordon Marsden"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blackpool South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gordon Marsden"} ], "uin" : "108882"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/774354", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/774354/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Government is determined to build a country that works for everyone \u2013 and that means ensuring that every child has a good or outstanding school place. We know that improving schools will help more young people progress on to higher education including at the most selective institutions.<\/p>

<\/p>

We expect all universities, particularly the most selective, to help raise attainment and support school improvement, including through school sponsorship and by establishing new state schools.<\/p>

<\/p>

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are entering at record rates to the most selective universities. There are also record entry rates across all ethnic groups.<\/p>

But we recognise there is more still to do. That is why our guidance to the Director of Fair Access (DfA), in February 2016, asked for the most selective institutions to make faster progress on widening access, and in particular to focus their outreach.<\/p>


The DfA has agreed access agreements for 2018/19 with plans for universities to spend more than £860 million on measures to continue to improving access and student success for students from disadvantaged and under-represented backgrounds, up significantly from £404 million in 2009.<\/p>

We are introducing sweeping reforms through legislation. The Higher Education and Research Act, includes a transparency duty requiring all universities to publish applications, offers and acceptance rates broken down by gender, ethnicity and social economic background. This will help to hold them to account for their performance on access and retention.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-10-30T17:56:31.1Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve access to (a) Oxford University and (b) Cambridge University for (i) black students and (ii) students from low socio-economic backgrounds from (A) the North West and (B) Blackpool.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/465", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gordon Marsden"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blackpool South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gordon Marsden"} ], "uin" : "108883"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/760867", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/760867/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Information on the number of people with a criminal record applying to university is not held centrally.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-10-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-10-09T17:59:31.09Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-09-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people with a criminal record applied for a university place in the UK in each of the last three years for which data is available.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4630", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ben Lake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ceredigion"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ben Lake"} ], "uin" : "105371"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "next" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=1&max-date=2018-02-19&hansardHeading=Universities%3A+Admissions", "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 54, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }