§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much was spent by local 322W education authorities on discretionary student awards in 1980–81; and how this compares with the figures for each of the previous three years at constant prices.
§ Mr. WaldegraveFigures for the expenditure by local education authorities in England on discretionary student awards in 1977–78 are not available. For the period 1978–79 to 1980–81, the totals are as follows:
Financial Year £m 1978–79* 89.0 1979–80* 91.2 1980–81* 89.2 * 1981 Survey Prices.
§ Mr. Shersbyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many university students are in receipt of the minimum award; what would have been the cost of increasing this minimum by 4 per cent. in line with the increase in student grants; and what proportion such an increase would represent of the increased expenditure on student grants resulting from the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 2 December.
§ Mr. WaldegraveIt is estimated that some 20,000 university students and 11,000 students in polytechnics and other maintained establishments of further education in England and Wales receive the minimum award of £410. The overall cost of increasing this award by 4 per cent. would have been £½ million and would have represented about 2 per cent. of the increased expenditure on student grants that will result from the statement made by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 2 December.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many parents currently contribute towards their children's student grants; and how many more he estimates will do so in the light of the 4 per cent. increase announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 2 December.
§ Mr. WaldegraveAbout 220,000 parents in England and Wales are currently assessed as making a contribution towards their children's student maintenance. It is estimated that in the 1982–83 academic year this number will increase to about 240,000.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what will be the value of the maximum student grant in and out of London in 1982; taking 1962 as the base year, what has been the actual student grant for each year since then; and what level would have been necessary to maintain its real value.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe following table gives the information requested:
323W
At Current Prices Indexed 1962 Rate Year London £ Elsewhere £ London £ Elsewhere £ 1962–63 335 320 335 320 1963–64 335 320 341 326 1964–65 335 320 356 340 1965–66 370 340 373 356 1966–67 370 340 386 369 1967–68 370 340 392 374 1968–69 395 360 415 396 1969–70 395 360 436 417
At Current Prices Indexed 1962 Rate Year London £ Elsewhere £ London £ Elsewhere £ 1970–71 420 380 467 446 1971–72 465 430 513 490 1972–73 480 445 550 525 1973–74 520 485 600 573 1974–75 665 605 703 671 1975–76 810 740 889 850 1976–77 955 875 1,016 971 1977–78 1,145 1,010 1,176 1,123 1978–79 1,315 1,100 1,267 1,211 1979–80 1,485 1,245 1,476 1,410 1980–81 1,695 1,430 1,710 1,634 1981–82 1,825 1,535 1,905 1,820 1982–83 1,900 1,595 2,095 2,000