HC Deb 05 February 1997 vol 289 cc630-1W
Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on student grants in Scotland in each year from 1990–91 to 1996–97 at current 1996–97 prices. [13902]

Mr. Raymond S. Robertson

[holding answer 31 January 1997]: The information requested is set out in the table.

The figures represent expenditure on maintenance grants, travel and tuition fees for award-holding Scottish domiciled students undertaking full-time courses of higher education; and on tuition fees for eligible European Union students undertaking similar courses in Scotland. They are not strictly comparable year on year because, since academic year 1990–91, a growing proportion of the maintenance provision for these students has been met by loans rather than grants.

£000s
Financial Year Actual expenditure Expenditure at 1996–97 prices
1990–911 176,813 215,769
1991–92 279,734 320,817
1992–93 337,647 371,799
1993–94 370,195 395,945
1994–95 324,646 341,190
1995–96 289,060 296,287
1996–972 289,728 289,728
1 Excluding grants for full-time higher national certificate courses which were covered by the education authorities up to and including 1990–91
2 Estimated