§ Mr. Cormackasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the planned number of student awards and the average size of those awards assumed in the forecast in the March 1981 public expenditure White Paper for higher education in the United Kingdom in (a) 1980–81 and (b) 1981–82.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe number of mandatory awards in England and Wales and their average size in the relevant academic years underlying and the provision in Cmnd. 8175 were as follows:
1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 Number of mandatory awards 326,000 336,000 339,000 Average award (at 1980 survey prices) £1,680 £1,660 £1,634 In addition, provision was made for discretionary awards by local authorities which are free to determine 223W their number and size. Student awards outside England and Wales are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Cormackasked the Secretary for State for Education and Science what was the estimated number of student awards and the average size of those awards in 1980–81 for higher education in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. WaldegraveInformation for 1980–81 is currently being compiled, but my Department estimates that in Great Britain there were about 385,000 mandatory and Scottish education maintenance awards. The cost to public funds of these awards is estimated, on average, to have been £1,150.
Estimates for Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.