To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of Northern Ireland domiciled students leave to study at higher education institutions in Great Britain; and what percentage return to work in Northern Ireland. [32908]

In 1993–94, the latest year for which information is available, 24 per cent. of all Northern Ireland domiciled new entrants to higher education left to study at institutions in Great Britain, including 34 per cent. of full-time undergraduate new entrants. In the same year, 11 per cent. of Northern Ireland domiciled first-degree graduates from Great Britain universities returned to Northern Ireland to take up employment.