HC Deb 03 July 2003 vol 408 cc435-6W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he plans to publish a draft Higher Education Bill for consultation. [119788]

Alan Johnson

We have no plans to publish a higher education bill in draft. There has already been substantial consultation on the main policy issues for which we intend to legislate. We will be responding to comments received during the consultation period on the White Paper alongside our response to the Select Committee.

Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what the costs in each of the last three years were of(a) targeted grants and (b) tuition fees waivers for (i) students in higher education from Wales and (ii) students from elsewhere in the UK attending higher education institutions in Wales; and what the related administrative costs were; [122471]

(2) what the cost was in each of the last three years of means tested loans for (a) students in higher education from Wales and (b) students from elsewhere in the UK attending higher education institutions in Wales; and what the identifiable administrative costs were in each case. [122472]

Alan Johnson

[holding answer 1 July 2003]: The information is as follows: (a) Expenditure on higher education students domiciled in Wales:

£ million
Financial year
2000–01 2001–02 2002–03
Income Contingent Repayment Loans (RAB cost) 38.6 48.8 153.5
Means tested contributions to tuition fees 19.5 23.7 125.8
Dependants Grants 3.8 5.2 16.2
HE Supplementary Grants 1.9 12.6 23.4
1 Provisional
2 Estimated

Sources:

HE Supplementary Grants—DfES

All other data—Student Loans Company.

Loan costs are for income contingent loans only. These loans, of which approximately one quarter of the value is means tested, are repayable on an income contingent basis. Loans made under the previous mortgage style arrangement, which are not means tested, are excluded from the table.

Expenditure on loans is shown in resource accounting and budgeting (RAB) terms, not cash terms.

Dependants grants includes payments on Childcare Grant, Additional Dependants Grant, Travel, Books and Equipment Grant, Loan Parents Grant and Child Dependants Grant.

HE supplementary grants include payments on Disabled Students Allowance, School Meals Grant, Care Leaver's Grant and Travel Grant.

Expenditure on hardship and part-time loans is excluded from the table.

(b) The cost for students from elsewhere in the UK attending higher education institutions in Wales could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

It is not possible to identify the administrative costs of payments under (a) or (b) above.