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In 2009-10, 63 per cent of students who obtained a first degree at a UK university achieved a first or an upper second. More than 14 per cent, or 46,825 students, gained a first.

The proportion awarded good degrees has increased gradually each year, data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show.

In 2005-06, 12 per cent of students achieved a first and 60 per cent gained a first or an upper second; in 1997-98, just 8 per cent of students obtained a first.

A cross-party committee of MPs raised concerns about the growth in good degrees in a report in 2009.

The now defunct Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee called for more research in order to establish the reasons for the increase and ¡°to remove suspicions of what, we hope, are unfounded misgivings that [it] may result from factors other than greater intellectual achievement¡±.

The total number of students enrolled at UK higher education institutions stood at 2,493,420 in 2009-10, up 4 per cent from the previous year. Postgraduate enrolments were up by 8 per cent.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com