Student Loans

HC Deb 01 February 1990 vol 166 cc339-40W

Mr. Flannery

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received any representations on student loans in Northern Ireland.

Dr. Mawhinney

Since the publication of the White Paper "Top-Up Loans for Students" (Cm. 520) in November 1988 representations expressing a variety of views have been received from four Members of Parliament, two district councils, the Fair Employment Agency, local representatives of the National Union of Students and other student bodies. In addition, some 400 postcards were received during the course of a campaign mounted by student unions.

School Year	Maximum Allowance	Means-test Levels	Indexed Real Value
	£	Lower £	Upper £	1980–81 £	1985–86 £	1989–90 £
1989–90	390	2,485	3,925	235	319	390
Aged 17
1980–81	430	1,670	3,140	430	542	663
1985–86	475	2,485	4,165	377	475	580
1986–87	475	2,485	4,165	366	461	563
1987–88	475	2,485	4,165	351	443	541
1988–89	475	2,485	4,165	332	418	511
1989–90	475	2,485	4,165	308	389	475
Aged 18
1980–81	510	1,670	3,470	510	734	897
1985–86	494	2,485	4,645	343	494	604
1986–87	494	2,484	4,645	333	480	586
1987–88	494	2,485	4,645	320	460	563
1988–89	494	2,485	4,654	302	435	532

Mr. Hume

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the number of educational maintenance allowances paid in each board area in each school year from 1985–86, inclusive.

Dr. Mawhinney

The information is as follows: