§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students in sixth form colleges and other education institutions in Hull are eligible for maintenance grants; how many are receiving them; what steps he is taking to ensure that individual students receive such grants; if he will list those institutions whose students qualify; and if he will make a statement. [129532]
§ Alan JohnsonThe latest information available shows that the number of 16 and 17 year olds eligible for Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in Kingston upon Hull LEA at the end of 2000 was around 2,300. This is based on estimates of participation in full time education and the percentage of young people eligible for EMA based on income distribution. In 2002–03 1,960 students received weekly payments of EMA, of which 1,654 students received the maximum allowance.
Local LEAs are responsible for ensuring young people are aware of EMA. In the pilots eligibility is governed by the local authority area in which the young person lives, so any school with a sixth form, sixth form college or FE college at which an EMA student enrols will "qualify" to operate EMA.
EMA pilots are currently available in 56 LEA areas and the national scheme will be available from September 2004.