§ 6. Mr. Cooper-Keyasked the Minister of Education how many ex-Service students are in receipt of grants; and how many have received no payment for the current term.
§ Mr. TomlinsonThe number of students in receipt of grants before the beginning of the current term was 18,573; in 15,505 of these cases, payments in full have been made. In addition, 6,930 new awards have been announced; in 2,180 of these cases, payment has been made in full, and, in over 2,000 other cases, a payment has been made on account.
§ 7. Mr. Norman Bowerasked the Minister of Education if he is aware that at University College, London, out of 783 students in receipt of Further Education and Training Grants 433 have not yet received their grants for this term although their attendance forms were returned on 20th January last; that at the Northern Polytechnic, N.7, 200 out of 294 students have not yet received their grants although their forms were returned on 13th January; that a similar situation prevails at many other colleges and universities; and when these grants will be paid.
§ Mr. TomlinsonAt University College, including the Slade School of Art, and the Bartlett School of Architecture, 578 students were in receipt of grants before 1359 the beginning of the term. Certificates of attendance were received on 21st January and payments were completed on 11th February. In addition, new awards have been announced to 92 students, of whom 67 have now been paid.
At the Northern Polytechnic, 132 students were in receipt of grants before the beginning of the term. Certificates of attendance were received on 23rd January, and payments were made on 15th February. In addition, new awards have been announced to 26 students, of whom four have been paid and the remainder are about to be paid
Payments have now been made to all students who were in receipt of grant at the beginning of this term, in 456 out of 497 institutions, and the remaining 41 will be completed shortly.
§ 8. Mr. John Patonasked the Minister of Education what deductions are made from further education and training grants in respect of a student's vacation earnings.
§ Mr. TomlinsonIf a student holding an award under the Further Education and Training Scheme earns in vacations, half his earnings are deducted from his grant.
§ Mr. PatonMay I ask my right hon. Friend if, in view of the great national need for maximum productivity, we should not encourage the effective use of every pair of hands, and, in view of that, will he consider either greatly reducing these deductions or abolishing them altogether?
§ Mr. TomlinsonI will certainly look at it, but there are more complications than that.
§ Mr. Frank ByersMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will reconsider the idea of having this extraordinary means test applied to these grants?
§ Mr. TomlinsonI would point out that it is not so much a question of a means test, as of the varying needs of the students.
§ Mr. Wilson HarrisDoes the Minister recognise that there are very many cases in which these grants are not sufficient for a man during the half-year when the university is not in session, and that, 1360 therefore, it is essential that he should be able to earn?
§ Mr. TomlinsonGrants are made to these people on the assumption and on the basis that they will not need to earn, and that is the only basis on which their receipts are taken into account.
§ 11. Mr. Kingasked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the necessity for schoolboys to plan their careers, he can give an assurance that grants for ex-Servicemen will he continued for the next five years.
§ Mr. TomlinsonNo, Sir. but I expect that an announcement will be made shortly.