HC Deb 05 February 1979 vol 962 c39W
Mr. Kenneth Clarke

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has of the percentage of parents who fail to pay the full parental contributions to the grants of their student children.

Mr. Oakes

A sample survey by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in the academic year 1974–75 indicated that 73 per cent. of students whose grants were reduced by an assessed parental contribution—that is, 59 per cent. of all students whose grants were subject to assessment—did not receive the full cash amount. No later information is available.