HC Deb 21 March 1989 vol 149 c550W
Sir Hector Monro

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish full details of students' allowances for session 1989–90.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

I announced the main rates of student grant for the 1989–90 academic year in response to a question from my hon. Friend on 16 December 1988 at columns780–82.

I am publishing today the supplementary grant rates for the 1989–90 session and details have been placed in the Library. The increases in these rates are broadly in line with the 5 per cent. increase in the main rates, but allowances for students with dependent children will be increased, on average, by 10 per cent.

In addition, there are some minor changes in the terms of the students' allowances scheme. These include:

  1. i. adjusting the classification of some countries for the purposes of determining the rates of grant for study abroad;
  2. ii. treating married students as independent of their parents after two years of marriage;
  3. iii. reducing the qualifying period to two years where parental contributions can be waived in the case of a student who has been in care or custodianship.