§ Mr. Michael Forsythasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes, if any, he proposes to make in student grants administered by the Scottish Education Department.
§ Mr. YoungerChanges to main rates of grant, to the parental contribution scale, and to the value of the minimum maintenance allowances have already been announced.
I intend to make a number of other changes. These are an increase in the "extra weeks" allowance for students on long courses, the ending of the limit on the period of unemployment that can count towards the attainment of "independent" status, and the halving of the disregard for life assurance premiums for the purpose of calculating parental and spouse contributions. I also propose a small adjustment to the change of course rules in Scotland to bring them more into line with practice in England and Wales. The National Union of Students (Scotland) is being consulted on these proposals.
Because of the special circumstances which apply in Scotland, in particular the high proportion of students who live at home and travel daily to their place of study, I do not at present propose to make any change in the system whereby students' travel costs are reimbursed by my Department.