§ Mr. Wallerasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities exercise their discretion to make awards in respect of students who change their course of study but who are not entitled to awards under the Education (Mandatory Awards) 345W Regulations, because arrangements to change their course were not completed within 14 months of the commencement of the course in respect of which the award was originally bestowed.
§ Dr. BoysonA student who changes his course remains eligible for a mandatory award if
- (i) the necessary recommendation or consent is given by the academic authorities within fourteen months of the start of the first year of the course in respect of which his award was bestowed or
- the local education authority are satisfied that the period he will ordinarily require for completion of the new course will expire not later than that required for completion of the course in respect of which his award was bestowed.
No central records are kept of the extent to which LEAs make use of their discretion to assist students who do not satisfy these conditions. However, a survey of discretionary awards published by the Department in 1978 indicated that 19 per cent. of authorities were normally prepared to make awards for second courses after withdrawal from or failure in the first, 75 per cent. considered each such case on its merits and 6 per cent. were not prepared to make awards.