The January 2008 Grant Letter to HEFCE set out our expectations for growth in student numbers. As a result of the 2 per cent. real terms increase in funding for HE we are making available over the next three years, and our decision to redistribute grant away from students doing second degrees or other HE qualifications at an equivalent or lower level in order to fund more first degree students, there is scope overall to fund significant growth. We expect a growth in core-fundable students of 20,000 new places in 2008-09, 35,000 new places in 2009-10 and about 60,000 new places in 2010-11 (on a full-time equivalent basis). The exact number of places to be filled by part-time first degree students will depend on student demand and the mixture of provision that institutions deliver, but our plans allow for a significant increase in employer co-funded provision where many students will want to study on a part-time basis.