§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average maintenance grant paid by Welsh local education authorities to students for the 1994–95 academic year; and what the figure was for(a) the 1993–94 academic year and (b) the 1979–80 academic year.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe average net maintenance grant paid as part of a mandatory award by local education authorities in Wales was £1,540 in the academic year 1989–90, £1,620 in 1991–92 and £1,690 in 1992–93. This is fully reimbursed by central Government.
Discretionary student awards are funded entirely from LEAs' own resources. The average net maintenance grant paid as part of a discretionary award by LEAs in Wales was £620 in the academic year 1989–90, £670 in 1991–92 and £440 in the academic year 1992–93.
1992–93 is the latest academic year for which information on LEAs' expenditure on either mandatory or discretionary awards is available. Similar information for the years prior to 1989–90 is not readily available.