§ 22. Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received from individuals and public bodies concerning the proposed changes in student grants.
§ Mr. BrookeMy right hon. Friend has received some 1,730 representations from individuals and some 70 from public bodies.
§ 28. Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the question of students' grants.
§ 42. Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many letters he has received about the level of student grants for 1984–85 and 1985–86.
§ 48. Mr. Roger Kingasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the revised system of parental contributions to student grants.
§ Mr. BrookeMy right hon. Friend has received some 2,010 representations about the changes in student grants in 1984–85 and some 1,800 about the proposed changes in 1985–86.
§ 30. Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will estimate how many students will receive, through the travel component of their grant, more than they need to spend; and how many will receive less than they need to spend.
§ Mr. BrookeIt is too early as yet to estimate students' travel expenditure under the new arrangements introduced on 1 September this year.
§ 34. Mr. Hindasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the maximum amount a parent can be asked to contribute next year towards one student at university outside London, grants and fees taken together; and at what income level that maximum becomes payable.
§ Mr. BrookeThe maximum amount of the parental contribution will vary according to the individual circumstances of the student and his family; but in the academic year 1985–86 no family will be asked to contribute more than £4,000. The parents of a student studying outside London and receiving an average amount 91W of allowance in addition to his basic grant will next year be expected to contribute a maximum sum, to include fees, of about £2,400. This level of contribution will apply to a family with a residual income of about £19,500.
§ 37. Mr. Robert Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from the National Union of Students and the National Union of Students, Scotland, on the Government's proposal to abolish the minimum grant and to charge tuition fees to some parents.
§ 61. Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met leaders of the National Union of Students to discuss grants and fees for higher education.
§ Mr. BrookeMy right hon. Friend met the president of the National Union of Students yesterday.
§ 39. Mr. Favellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received advocating the introduction of student loans for those receiving higher education.
§ Sir Keith JosephI have received no representations solely on the subject of the introduction of a loans scheme. A number of correspondents may have made this point in letters which were principally about other matters, but the records kept by the Department are not sufficiently sensitive to identify these.
§ 40. Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied that the level of educational grants available for higher and university education are adequate to ensure that no young person who can benefit from such education is debarred from doing so because of a lack of financial resources.
§ Mr. BrookeYes.
§ 50. Mr. Wallaceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the number of parents who do not pay the full parental contribution towards the student maintenance grant.
§ Mr. BrookeThis information is not available. My right hon. Friend has received 1,610 representations about the changes in the parental contributions in 1984–85 and 1985–86, a number of which made reference to parents who do not pay their contributions in full.
§ 54. Mr. Pikeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he proposes to take to provide assistance to those students in higher education whose parents refuse to sign their grant assessment forms and are thus liable to pay fees and not to receive a grant.
§ Mr. BrookeThe Government very much hope that all parents will co-operate with the grant assessment procedure and will pay their assessed contributions in full. Any formal measures to protect students whose parents do not do so would inevitably be open to abuse.
§ 59. Mr. Tim Smithasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received following his announcement of changes in the arrangements for student grants.
§ 64. Mr. Patrick Thompsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on parental contributions to student maintenance and tuition fees.
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§ Mr. BrookeI would refer the hon. Members to the answer my right hon. Friend gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Berkshire East, (Mr. MacKay), for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) and for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden).
§ 60. Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will monitor the effect of the new arrangements for student loans with a view to determining the number of undergraduates whose parents are not willing to pay their assessed contribution towards fees.
§ Mr. BrookeNo arrangements have been made for student loans. There are no plans to collect information about the number of parents who fail to pay their assessed contribution in full.