To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what activities were recently undertaken as part of Student Finance week; and what the cost was of each. (169728)

The information is as follows.

Student Finance Week 2008 was a week long programme of PR activity

The aim of the activity was to make the target audience aware of and direct them to view the new Student Finance DVD. The DVD contains detailed information on the package of financial support available for students entering higher education from September 2008

The activity was aimed at young people aged 16-19 and their parents

The total cost was £33,925.00

The activity provided an estimated 67 million opportunities to see

Based on the national press articles only, the reach is estimated as:

Parents of 16 to 18-year-olds with a household income of £25,000 to £60,000—articles reached 33.4 per cent. of the audience

Parents of all 16 to 18-year-olds—articles reached 32.6 per cent. of the audience

16 to 18-year-olds with a household income of £25,000 to £60,000—articles reached 29.3 per cent. of the audience

16 to 18-year-olds—articles reached 31.9 per cent. of the audience.

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will ensure that the Higher Education and Funding Council for England provides funding for students seeking postgraduate training in health, education, local government, food safety and hydrology. (173202)

We have no plans to change arrangements for funding of postgraduate provision, except in those cases where a student already has a postgraduate qualification at an equivalent or higher level than the one for which he or she proposes to study. For such students, funding will be available for students on courses which are co-funded by employers, including those in the public sector as well as the private sector. That is and will be our priority as we respond to the challenges identified by Sandy Leitch.