Draft Report [Higher Education: Student Retention], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.

Paragraphs 1 and 2 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 3 read, amended, and agreed to.

Paragraphs 4 to 11 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 12 read as follows:

"Undergraduate numbers have risen substantially over the past twenty years. The limitations of the data prevent an exact analysis of the trend in non-completion over the period, but in general terms it can be said that about one in six students who enter higher education leave without completing their degree. In their April 2000 oral evidence the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals told the Education Sub-committee that the average national figure for non-completion had not changed significantly throughout the period of expansion in higher education over the past 30 years, and that the UK had one of the very lowest 'drop­out' rates in any higher education system anywhere in the world. Baroness Blackstone, Minister for Higher Education, told the Sub-committee that the most recent figure for non-completion was just over 17 per cent, which was a small reduction over previous years."

Amendments made.

Another Amendment proposed, in line 10, at the end, to insert the words—

"However, we do not consider the data robust enough to allow conclusions to be safely drawn about trends over time for non-completion."—(Dr Evan Harris.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Sub-committee divided.

Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.

Paragraphs 13 to 16 read, amended, and agreed to.

Paragraphs 17 to 24 read and agreed to.

A paragraph—(Dr Evan Harris)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted (now paragraph 25).

Paragraph 25 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 26).

Paragraph 26 read and agreed to (now paragraph 27) .

Paragraph 27 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 28).

Paragraphs 28 to 32 read and agreed to (now paragraphs 29 to 33).

Paragraph 33 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 34).

Paragraphs 34 to 37 read and agreed to (now paragraphs 35 to 38).

Paragraph 38 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 39).

Another paragraph—(Dr Evan Harris)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted (now paragraph 40).

Paragraph 39 read and agreed to (now paragraph 41).

Another paragraph—(Dr Evan Harris)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted (now paragraph 42).

Paragraphs 40 and 41 (now paragraphs 43 and 44) read and agreed to.

Ordered, That further consideration of the Chairman's draft Report be now adjourned.— (The Chairman.)

Report to be further considered upon Wednesday 7 March.

Consideration of Chairman's draft Report [Higher Education: Student Retention] resumed.

Another paragraph—(Dr Evan Harris)—brought up, read the first and second time, amended, and inserted (now paragraph 45).

Paragraphs 42 to 44 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraphs 46 to 48).

Paragraph 45 read, amended, and agreed to (as paragraph 49—now paragraph 93).

Paragraph 46 read, amended and agreed to (now paragraph 49).

Paragraphs 47 and 48 read and agreed to (now paragraphs 50 and 51).

Paragraph 49 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 52).

Another paragraph—(The Chairman)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted (now paragraph 53).

Paragraphs 50 to 59 read and agreed to (now paragraphs 54 to 63).

Paragraph 60 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 64).

Paragraphs 61 and 62 read and agreed to (now paragraphs 65 and 66).

Paragraphs 63 to 92 postponed.

Another paragraph—(Mr Gordon Marsden)—brought up, read the first and second time, amended, and inserted (now paragraph 100).

Postponed paragraph 63 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 67).

Postponed paragraph 64 read and agreed to (now paragraph 68).

Postponed paragraphs 65 to 69 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraphs 69 to 73).

Postponed paragraphs 70 to 73 read and agreed to (now paragraphs 74 to 77).

Postponed paragraph 74 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 78).

Postponed paragraph 75 read and agreed to (now paragraph 79).

Postponed paragraphs 76 and 77 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraphs 80 and 81).

Postponed paragraphs 78 and 79 read and agreed to (now paragraphs 82 and 83).

Another paragraph—(Dr Evan Harris)—brought up, read the first and second time, amended, and inserted (now paragraph 84).

Postponed paragraph 80 read and agreed to (now paragraph 85).

Postponed paragraph 81 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 86).

Postponed paragraph 82 read and agreed to (now paragraph 87).

Postponed paragraph 83 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 88).

Another paragraph—(The Chairman)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted (now paragraph 89).

Postponed paragraph 84 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 90).

Postponed paragraph 85 read and agreed to (now paragraph 91).

Postponed paragraph 86 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 92).

Postponed paragraphs 87 to 90 read and agreed to (now paragraphs 94 to 97).

Postponed paragraphs 91 and 92 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraphs 98 and 99).

Paragraph 93 read and agreed to (now paragraph 101).

Paragraph 94 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 102).

Paragraph 95 read and agreed to (now paragraph 103).

Paragraphs 96 to 100 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraphs 104 to 108).

Paragraph 101 read as follows:

"We recommend that the Government should tackle the perception of student debt as an issue affecting student retention by making even greater efforts to get across the message that higher education is a good and affordable investment."

Paragraph disagreed to.

Paragraphs 102 and 103 read, amended, and agreed to (now paragraph 109 and 110).

Resolved, That the Report, as amended, be the Fourth Report of the Sub­committee to the Committee.—(The Chairman.)

Ordered, That the Chairman do make the Report to the Committee.