§ Mr. John MacKayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to make any changes in the rules governing the payment of mandatory awards under his Department's students allowances scheme.
§ Mr. YoungerI have been reviewing the arrangements under which students taking first degree and comparable courses are assisted under this scheme and I have concluded that, in view of the overriding need to reduce public expenditure, grants should no longer be paid to students who are required to repeat a period of study, except where there are medical or compassionate grounds attested by the student and the institution concerned. These new arrangements will apply from the beginning of the academic session 1982–83.