§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the total average annual cost to public funds in respect of a university student from Northern Ireland receiving maximum grant who attends a university in Northern Ireland;
(2) what is the total average annual cost to public funds in respect of a university student from Northern Ireland receiving maximum grant who attends a university in (a) Scotland, (b) England and (c) Wales.
§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will estimate the number of awards represented by the estimate of £8.3 million as the cost of awards to Northern Ireland students tenable at higher education institutions in Great Britain given in the reply of 25 June, Official Report, c. 197;
(2) if he will estimate the total cost of awards to Northern Ireland students tenable at higher education institutions in Great Britain (a) for the last three academic years for which figures are available and (b) for the present and each of the forthcoming two years; and if he will estimate how many students this represents in each case.
§ Mr. ScottThe information for the last three years is as follows:
Northern Ireland Higher Education Awards Tenable in Great Britain Academic Year 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 Number 2737 3783 4070 Cost £million 5.6 6.5 8.3 I hesitate to make predictions for future years, but I expect no significant change in the pattern of past years.