Q1. Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Department of Health and Social Security and the Department of Education and Science in relation to deciding whether the payment of educational grants or supplementary benefit is the appropriate payment for the families of students attending full time courses in technical colleges.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Edward Heath)Yes, Sir. Dependants' grants in such cases are the responsibility of local education authorities, who are doubtless aware of the limited access to supplementary benefit permitted to students. Authorities may not consider that a payment from public funds for a student's family is appropriate in every case.
Mr. MitchellIs the Prime Minister aware that married students with families 290 attending full-time courses at technical colleges face particular difficulties because the Department of Education and Science, the local education authorities and the Department of Health and Social Security all disclaim responsibility for maintaining the wife and children? Will he initiate discussion between those three bodies in an attempt to resolve the problem?
§ The Prime MinisterThis is a problem primarily for the local education authorities because they are responsible for the size of the grant that is made to any student. As I said in my original reply, they can be made aware of the student's position and consider whether or not it is appropriate that the grant made to him should be sufficient to maintain his wife and family. I do not think that there is any question of a division of responsibilities between the Departments. The responsibility is very clear.
§ Mr. PardoeIs the Prime Minister aware, however, that not only married students fall foul of the discrepancy between the Departments, and that a small number of students under 18 taking vocational courses tend to fall between the provisions of the local education authorities and the Supplementary Benefits Commission? Will he look at this to see that those who want to have vocational training are encouraged and enabled to do so?
§ The Prime MinisterI am prepared to inquire whether there is a gap such as the hon. Gentleman suggests. I am advised that local education authorities have responsibility for making grants of this kind to those who have left school and are taking courses in colleges of one kind or another. The problem that the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. R. C. Mitchell) raised was rather different from the one that the hon. Gentleman has in mind. The case of the particular student with which he is concerned has been dealt with.
§ Mr. James HamiltonIs the Prime Minister aware that information has been sent to me that students aged between 17 and 18 who spend more than three days at a technical college are deprived of supplementary benefit, which makes it difficult for them to further their education? This is a serious imposition. Will 291 the Prime Minister do something about it?
§ The Prime MinisterIf the hon. Gentleman will be kind enough to let me have the information that he has been sent I will have it examined. When a student is not actually at college he comes under the normal regulations and is eligible for supplementary benefit in the normal way if he complies with the requirements. I will gladly examine any evidence on this problem which the hon. Gentleman has.