To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have entered higher education from school in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997.

The most recent information, showing the proportion of 18-year-olds who obtained places on full-time undergraduate courses via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), is shown in the table. Participation rates for each parliamentary constituency are not calculated by the Department.

In addition, HEFCE have recently published 'Young participation in Higher Education', (available from http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05_037) which shows the proportion of young people who enter higher education at age 18 or 19, although this only covers the years up to 2000. Participation rates for constituencies based on this work are given on the supporting POLAR website (www.hefce.ac.uk/polar). The figures indicate that the proportion of young people from Jarrow who entered higher education at age 18 or 19 was 23 per cent. in 1997 and 24 per cent. in 2000.