Oxford hits back in black students row

OXFORD University has hit back at the Prime Minister for quoting "highly misleading" figures on the number of black students admitted to the prestigious institution.

David Cameron said it was "disgraceful" that only one black student began studying at Oxford last year.

But a spokeswoman for the university said the figure referred only to UK undergraduates of black Caribbean origin starting courses in 2009-10.

There were another 26 students who said they were of black origin, and 14 of mixed descent.

The spokeswoman said: "The figure quoted by the Prime Minister is incorrect and highly misleading - it only refers to UK undergraduates of black Caribbean origin for a single year of entry, when in fact that year Oxford admitted 41 UK undergraduates with black backgrounds.

"In that year, a full 22 per cent of Oxford's total student population came from ethnic minority backgrounds."

A Downing Street spokesman said last night: "The figure the PM used was from a response to a Freedom of Information request, which clearly states only one black Caribbean student was admitted to Oxford in 2009.

"The wider point he was making was that it is not acceptable for universities like Oxford to have so few students coming from black and minority ethnic groups."