Higher Education Statistics Agency student record

Thank you for your recent email. A reply will be sent to you as soon as
possible (where a response is required). For information, the
departmental standard for correspondence received is that responses
should be sent within 15 working days or 20 working days if you are
requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Your correspondence has been allocated the reference number 2008/0062537

Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
http://www.dius.gov.uk/index.htm

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Dear Mr Trice,
I refer to your request received on 22 July 2008 under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 for information about the Higher Education Statistics
Agency Student Record. This request was assigned the reference number
2008/0062537. I am writing to confirm that the Department has now
completed its search for the information which you requested and a copy of
the information which can be disclosed is enclosed.

Which Government department owns the "Higher Education Statistics Agency
student record"?
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) is an owner
of this source within Government in England. As such, DIUS hold the data
solely for the purpose of analysis for Government policy development and
delivery. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the
Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) are also owners of this
source in England, and it is the statutory powers of HEFCE and TDA, who
are Non-Departmental Public Bodies, that underpin data collection by HESA
in England. Parallel arrangements apply in each devolved administration.

However, all intellectual property rights in the data belong to the Higher
Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

What is the "Higher Education Statistics Agency student record" used for?
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) analyses
this data for the purpose of informing and monitoring Government policy
development and delivery. The Department cannot comment on how other
bodies who hold the data make use of it.
Who can request data from the "Higher Education Statistics Agency student
record"?
Anyone can request information which is based on the HESA Student Record.
Any requests made to the Department for Innovation, Universities and
Skills will be considered on a case-by-case basis. DIUS is not required to
create information which we do not already hold (i.e. in a publication)
which would require any form of new analysis on the HESA student record.

DIUS does not produce bespoke analysis for individuals outside government
as release of the material would prejudice the financial and business
interests of HESA which is a (non-FOI) body that relies for part of its
funding on charging for information - it would impact on their revenue by
affecting their ability to participate in a commercial activity. Data
provided through the HESA Information Provision Service may be subject to
a charge. The actual charge will depend upon the complexity of the data
enquiry, and the format in which it is supplied. More details on charges
can be found at the link below:
[1]http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/content/...
What is the cost to the public purse to maintain the "Higher Education
Statistics Agency student record"?
The total income for HESA for the 2006-07 academic year was -L-3,281,802.
HESA's income comprises three components. The largest of these is the
subscription income paid, on a size-related basis, by publicly-funded
higher education institutions as a condition of grant (and also by The
University of Buckingham on a voluntary basis). The HESA subscription
should not be seen solely as a charge against institutional income from
public funds, since non-EU students paying full-cost fees are included in
the student record and in the subscription formula. The second component
of income arises from direct contracts with funding bodies, for example
the contract with HEFCE (as UK-wide managers of the process) for the
calculation and publication of the HE Performance Indicators. The third
component is commercial income, of which the bulk is generated through the
supply of bespoke data extracts and analyses, the sale of publications,
and the provision of consultancy and training services. The profit from
commercial activity is used to reduce the institutional subscription
level.

The collection of the HESA student record depends on the use of common
services within HESA used for all data collection. HESA does not
disaggregate the associated costs across different data streams, and it is
accordingly not possible to identify a cost relating specifically to the
student record.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please
remember to quote our reference number in any future communications.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you should write to me within two calendar months of the date of this
letter.

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the
ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted our complaints/review
procedure.

Yours sincerely,
K. Heywood

Enquiries:
Castle View House,
East Lane,
Runcorn,
WA7 2GJ

020 7215 5555
[2][DIUS request email]
Your correspondence has been allocated the reference number 2008/0062537.

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recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/content/...
2. mailto:[DIUS request email]