§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will review the system of awarding discretionary grants by local education authorities to eliminate the possibility of school leavers being refused grants for courses to which they have been accepted, and for which they have the necessary qualifications, particularly when the alternative of unemployment may be more expensive to the taxpayer than the payment of the grant for such courses.
§ Dr. BoysonIt is a matter for concern when qualified students are unable to obtain financial assistance to take courses, but my right hon. and learned Friend has no power to advise authorities about how they should exercise their discretion. It remains the responsibility of local education authorities to formulate their own policies and to make awards in accordance with their judgment of local circumstances and the merits of individual cases. The Government have no plans to change these arrangements.