§ Mr. HumeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the numbers in receipt of education maintenance allowances in each education and library board area in each year since 1980.
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 11987 Belfast 167 235 271 244 221 229 230 200 North-Eastern 248 360 397 432 491 206 218 209 Southern 693 920 1,002 924 717 482 389 370 South-Eastern 208 247 291 238 190 155 140 130 Western 887 1,024 1,083 1,036 750 630 568 580 1 Estimated.
§ Mr. HumeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what information is available to indicate the value of education maintenance allowances in each year since 1980;
(2) what information is available to indicate the assessment thresholds for education maintenance allowance in each year since 1980;
(3) what figures are available to indicate the real value of education maintenance allowance in each year since 1980 as a percentage of its value in (a) 1980, (b) 1983 and (c) 1987;
(4) if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy in relation to education maintenance allowance.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe maximum payable by way of educational maintenance was £510 per annum in 1980, increasing to £570 in 1981 and to £595 in 1982.
In 1983 the maximum level was changed to £494 in recognition of the fact that supplementary benefit payments were automatically reduced by a sum equal to the amount by which educational maintenance exceeded that figure. The maximum level remains at £494.
The assessment threshold for education maintenance was £3,470 in 1980, rising to £3,970 in 1981 to £4,325 in 1982 and to £4,645 in 1983 at which level it remains.
The following are the comparative values of the years since 1980, expressed in percentage terms, with a value of 100 given to 1980, 1983 and 1987 respectively:
1980 1983 1987 Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 1980 100 103 103 1981 94 115 116 1982 90 121 121 1983 70 100 100 1984 67 96 100 1985 64 92 100 1986 60 86 100 1987 58 84 100 The future of the scheme in Northern Ireland is under review and I will make a statement when this has been completed.