§ 4. Mr. Brian H. Donohoe (Cunninghame, South)When he plans to conclude the contract for the new college in Kilwinning. [76308]
§ The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Donald Dewar)I am not a party to the contract for the new college in Kilwinning. The board of management of James Watt college of further and higher education will sign the contract, and I understand that it expects to do so soon.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
§ Mr. DonohoeThat is excellent news. Does my right hon. Friend agree that access is one of the biggest problems in higher education, particularly for the handicapped and the disabled? Is my right hon. Friend aware that, by virtue of the Scottish National party's policies, people are likely to be deprived of access to higher education in north Ayrshire, and the building of the new college in Kilwinning would, at the very least, be delayed, if not cancelled, were its policies to come to fruition?
§ Mr. DewarKilwinning college is an important addition to the educational facilities in north Ayrshire, and I hope that it flourishes and does well. I thank my hon. Friend for what he said about the importance of widening access. We have an agenda in that area, and I can announce today that disabled student allowances will be extended from this autumn to part-time students studying at least 50 per cent. of a full-time course. Furthermore, the fee waiver scheme introduced last May for low-income or unemployed part-time first degree students will be extended to include students at higher education institutions on higher national certificate or higher national diploma courses. Steps will also be taken to introduce consistency for comparable students in further education colleges.
That means that £6 million will be channelled to benefit at least 6,000 part-time higher education students a year who are on low incomes or unemployed, and £1.5 million to benefit 250 disabled students each year during the next three years. That is an important and welcome extension of access for a group of students who have potential and capacity, but are often held back by personal circumstances.
§ Mr. Desmond Swayne (New Forest, West)Is the new college in Kilwinning also likely to be awash with money, or will it be constrained at least by the fact that in Ayrshire there has been a reduction in the education budget of as much as 15 per cent?
§ Mr. DewarThe hon. Gentleman, with whom I have a slight rapport—[HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"] Because he is always extremely entertaining. As the hon. Gentleman has no doubt done his homework, he will know that an additional £41 million has been allocated to the further education sector next year, which has been very widely welcomed—I use these terms properly—right across the further education sector. There will be something like £241 million, in addition to the expected plans, by the end of the comprehensive spending review. The hon. Gentleman has struck a happy note in reminding me just how much is being done in further education at the moment.