§ Mr. George Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her estimate of the extra cost to public funds in the academic year 1979–80 of abolishing parental contributions to student grants; and what is her estimate of the cost in that year of making rent deductible in the same way as house loan interest is deductible in assessing parental income.
§ Mr. OakesThe estimated cost in Great Britain of abolishing parental contributions to all full value student awards is about £120 million. The cost of allowing rent as a deduction from gross income is estimated on the same basis to be of the order of £10 million.