§ Mr. Damian GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish the evidence that informed her judgment relating to the impact on the Government's target for 18 to 30-year-olds in higher education of the current system of student support. [11580]
§ Margaret Hodge[holding answer 31 October 2001]: Last month my right hon. Friend announced the review of student support which, in seeking to get the right balance between the contributions made by the state, the parent and the graduate, has the explicit aim of ensuring that we reach our target of 50 per cent. of 18 to 30-year-olds having the opportunity to participate in higher education. In particular, the review will consider, in relation to the current system of student support, concerns expressed about the impact of debt, or perceptions of future debt, which have been identified in the 1998–99 student income and expenditure report, the DfES research report, "Social Class and Higher Education: Issues Affecting Decisions on Participation by Lower Social Class Groups" (2001), and elsewhere. We want to ensure opportunities for all and are reviewing student funding to remove obstacles that might deter potential students from low-income families participating in higher education.