§ Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she 663W will make a statement about the plight of Iranian students studying in Great Britain who are unable to get their money out of Iran to pay for fees and maintenance.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsThe Government are aware of the problems which some Iranian students are currently facing and are keeping the situation under review. Tuition fees are a matter for the discretion of the institutions and, in the case of the maintained sector, the local education authorities. The local authority associations have already issued guidance to their members on the subject and have expressed the hope that authorities will deal sympathetically with these students' problems. As regards maintenance, the Supplementary Benefits Commission, as a temporary and exceptional measure, is making payments where necessary to prevent hardship.