HL Deb 14 June 2000 vol 613 cc1631-2

2.36 p.m.

Lord Dormand of Easington

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to increase financial provision for mature students wishing to undertake degree courses at universities.

The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone)

My Lords, we have made mature students, especially those with children, a priority. We are introducing measures to give them more financial support, including bursaries of up to £1,000, paid according to need, a means-tested school meals grant and, from September 2001, a childcare grant based on actual costs. All of these will be disregarded for benefits purposes. We are also this year raising the income threshold at which mature students have to contribute towards their tuition fees.

Lord Dormand of Easington

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that helpful and promising reply. Can she confirm that the extra money made available earlier this year for mature students was directed towards those universities offering part-time courses with a vocational focus? I do not disagree with such a policy, but does my noble friend accept that many people wish to undertake full-time university courses over a wide spectrum of study. Can she confirm that the policy I mentioned in my first supplementary question will not be implemented at the expense of the kind of course I have just mentioned?

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, in my initial Answer I referred to the position as regards support for full-time students. After all, it is full-time students who gain full access to the student support regime. However, the Government have decided to make it possible for part-time students also to gain access to the loan system. Part-time students on low incomes will be able to take out a loan of up to £500 a year.

Baroness Blatch

My Lords, why is it that students undertaking Bachelor of Education degree courses are treated so unfavourably when compared with those undertaking a PGCE course after completing their first degree? It seems only fair that B.Ed students should qualify for at least equal treatment with anyone else who chooses to go into teaching.

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Blatch, has asked about this on previous occasions. The reason for treating PGCE students in a particular fashion is to tackle the problem of shortages of secondary school teachers in certain subjects. Most students studying for a Bachelor of Education degree will in due course become primary school teachers, where the shortages are not as acute as in secondary schools. That is the reason for the different treatment.

Baroness Sharp of Guildford

My Lords, I was pleased to hear the Minister mention in particular the costs of childcare. Does the Minister agree that women returning to higher education after having children often face difficult problems as regards childcare because many institutions do not have créches where young children can be looked after? Does the Minister have any solutions that would address this problem?

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, I agree entirely with the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp. We must do all that we can to help women with children, in particular single parents, to secure the qualifications they need in order to get well-paid jobs. They will then no longer be dependent on the state. For that reason, anion 3 others, we have introduced these improvements for mature students, with a special emphasis on mature students with children. So far as concerns creches, it is for the universities themselves to decide on their arrangements for the provision of on-site daycare facilities. However, I think that the vast majority of universities now provide creches and give priority to students with particular needs, such as single mothers or, indeed, single fathers.

Lord Dormand of Easington

My Lords, can my noble friend tell the House whether the disabled student's allowance has been assessed as regards its effectiveness in assisting disabled mature students?

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, I do not believe that a specific study has been carried out into the effectiveness of the disabled student's allowance as it affects mature students. However, the Government have expanded the provision of DSAs to include part-time students because many mature students study part time. This is the first time that that has happened. I can also tell my noble friend that the Government are making DSAs available for postgraduate students.