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| Drop in university students from most-deprived areas | Drop in university students from most-deprived areas |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The number of students from Scotland's poorest areas going to university has fallen, new figures have revealed. | The number of students from Scotland's poorest areas going to university has fallen, new figures have revealed. |
| Data from the university admissions body Ucas showed a drop in applications and places awarded to those from the most-deprived 20% of areas. | Data from the university admissions body Ucas showed a drop in applications and places awarded to those from the most-deprived 20% of areas. |
| The figures showed 1,215 applicants from this group got a place in 2015, down from 1,305 the previous year. | The figures showed 1,215 applicants from this group got a place in 2015, down from 1,305 the previous year. |
| The Scottish government said it was "committed to education based on ability to learn, not ability to pay". | The Scottish government said it was "committed to education based on ability to learn, not ability to pay". |
| A spokeswoman for the Scottish Conservatives said the "damning report" confirmed that the SNP "just isn't doing enough to close the attainment gap or increase opportunity among Scotland's least-privileged". | A spokeswoman for the Scottish Conservatives said the "damning report" confirmed that the SNP "just isn't doing enough to close the attainment gap or increase opportunity among Scotland's least-privileged". |
| The Scottish government has placed a major focus on cutting the attainment gap between rich and poor, and increasing the number of Scots from the worst-off communities who make it to university. | The Scottish government has placed a major focus on cutting the attainment gap between rich and poor, and increasing the number of Scots from the worst-off communities who make it to university. |
| However, while the number of successful applicants from the poorest areas fell across Scotland as a whole, there was an increase in Scots from the most-affluent communities going to university. | However, while the number of successful applicants from the poorest areas fell across Scotland as a whole, there was an increase in Scots from the most-affluent communities going to university. |
| The Ucas data showed this figure rose from 4,605 to 4,685 over the period. | The Ucas data showed this figure rose from 4,605 to 4,685 over the period. |
| 'More to do' | 'More to do' |
| Of those looking to start a course in October 2015, a total of 1,935 of the applicants who met the June 2015 deadline were from the most-deprived communities, a drop of 60 from the previous year. | Of those looking to start a course in October 2015, a total of 1,935 of the applicants who met the June 2015 deadline were from the most-deprived communities, a drop of 60 from the previous year. |
| A spokeswoman for Universities Scotland described the figures as being a "very useful but highly-detailed and complex data set that needs further examination". | |
| She said: "The one factor that underpins all of the data for Scotland is that whoever you are and whatever your background, it is a lot more competitive to get into university in Scotland than it is in other parts of the UK, and that comes down to the limited availability of places here in Scotland." | |
| A Scottish government spokesman said the figures showed "a long-term improvement in the number of Scottish 18-year-olds from our most deprived areas applying to, and gaining a place at university, since 2010". | A Scottish government spokesman said the figures showed "a long-term improvement in the number of Scottish 18-year-olds from our most deprived areas applying to, and gaining a place at university, since 2010". |
| He added: "This government is clear that every child, whatever their background, should have an equal chance of attending university. | He added: "This government is clear that every child, whatever their background, should have an equal chance of attending university. |
| "Our actions to widen access have delivered progress but we recognise there is more to do." | "Our actions to widen access have delivered progress but we recognise there is more to do." |
| The Scottish Conservatives have called for students to pay a charge of up to £6,000 after finishing their studies to boost investment in education. | The Scottish Conservatives have called for students to pay a charge of up to £6,000 after finishing their studies to boost investment in education. |
| The party's education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: "The Scottish Conservatives have been saying for quite some time that students from the most-deprived areas in Scotland are being let down by the SNP government." | The party's education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: "The Scottish Conservatives have been saying for quite some time that students from the most-deprived areas in Scotland are being let down by the SNP government." |
| Scottish Labour's Iain Gray said: "The SNP claim that education is their top priority yet after a nearly decade of SNP government fewer university applicants come from the poorest backgrounds and even fewer actually get in." | |
| And Ross Greer of the Scottish Greens added: "If we want to encourage more students from less well off backgrounds we need to tackle financial and cultural barriers, and do more to reach out to those students to support their aspirations. No one should be put off applying for university because of their family's income." |