asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of school leavers in Scotland for each year since 1978.

The information requested is as follows:

Session	Number of leavers
1977–78	93,221
1978–79	91,737

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of school leavers with the minimum university entrance qualifications for each year since 1978, and how many failed to obtain entrance to university in each year.

Generally, the minimum requirement for university entrance is three highers and two O grades (or equivalent): entrance requirements for individual faculties or courses may be higher. The numbers of school leavers with three or more highers were as follows:

Number of school leavers with 3 or more Highers
Session	Number
1977–78	16,069
1978–79	15,760
1979–80	16,661
1980–81	17,208
1981–82	18,347
1982–83	18,954
1983–84	n.a.

Information from the Scottish school leavers survey indicates that, of those who left school in 1979– 80 with three or more highers, and who applied for university entrance, 67 per cent entered university in the following session The corresponding figure for 1981–82 leavers is 61 per cent. The percentages of this group who entered other forms of higher education, or who entered university at a later date, are not readily available.