Mr. Bob Brownasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will review awards to full-time students with a view to including in the award an amount to cover the cost of contributions to the National Insurance scheme by the local education authority.
§ Mr. CroslandAs I informed the House on 29th July, 1965, I carefully reconsidered this matter in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance and with the National Union of Students. As a result I reached the conclusion that a change of the kind suggested would not 19W be justified having regard to the large outlay in contributions it implies, the low incidence of eligibility among students for the cash benefits concerned, and the existing arrangements for credits up to the age of 18 and retrospective payment of contributions when studentship has ended. The National Health Service is available to students, as to other people, without contribution conditions. The better course appears to me to be to ensure that students are fully informed about their National Insurance position so as to eliminate misunderstandings, and this has been done.