The funding bodies are taking into account the target increase of 500 additional medical undergraduate students, having consulted universities with medical schools about intakes. The universities will be more than half way to meeting the target in 1996-97. The further increase of about 230 would need to be phased in over the following three years. My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. They feel sure that they will not be able to fulfil those numbers by the year the noble Lord mentioned.
Funding is inadequate.
Column 317 student numbers because of the reduction in the amount of money they can claim. My Lords, I simply do not accept the noble Baroness's allegation that student numbers are falling. We have seen an increase in medical students of 11 per cent. That is well on course. As regards drop-out rates, the rates throughout the whole of higher education are relatively low.