University Students Mr. Jenkins To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the ratio of undergraduate students to teaching staff at (a) Oxford, (b) Cambridge, (c) Durham and (d) all universities in England and Wales. [14629] Dr. Howells The latest available information which relates to 1993โ€“94 and covers all students (undergraduates and postgraduates) in all higher education institutions in England shows a student: staff ratio of 16ยท5.Because of changes in data sources in 1994โ€“95 more recent figures have not so far been published. It is intended that the next Departmental Annual Report due to be published in March 1998 will contain more up to date figures.Student:staff ratios for individual institutions are not compiled by the Department. Figures for former University Funding Council universities were published up to 1993โ€“94, by cost centre, in the University Management Statistics and Performance Indicators in the UK publication. Mr. Jenkins To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many mature students are currently studying at (a) Oxford, (b) Cambridge and (c) Durham Universities; if he will express that figure as a percentage of the total undergraduate student body of each university; and what is the average for all British universities. [14627] Dr. Howells The information is given in the following table: ---------------------------------------------- | | ---------------------------------------------- |University | ---------------------------------------------- |Oxford | ---------------------------------------------- |Cambridge | ---------------------------------------------- |Durham | ---------------------------------------------- |All higher education institutions in the UK2| ----------------------------------------------