§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what responses he has sent to the chairman of Leeds university council and the vice-chancellor of Kent university in reply to their recent complaints made to him concerning students' grant allocations and contributory parental income towards tuition fees.
§ Mr. BrookeWe have no record of having received letters from the chairman of the Leeds university council or the vice-chancellor of Kent university complaining about these matters.
§ Mr. Leighasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now seek to meet representatives of the major commercial banks in order to discuss the possibility of devising a special student loan facility as a supplement to grants.
§ Mr. BrookeI would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's statement on 5 December 1984 at columns 360–61. We have no doubt that the possibility of a special student loan facility will be one of the matters to be examined in the review which the Government will be undertaking.
§ Mr. Batisteasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the cost to the universities of his proposals for amending student grants in terms of (a) adverse cash flow and loss of interest on moneys in hand, (b) increased bad debts and (c) extra administration costs.
§ Mr. BrookeThe student grant proposals announced by my right hon. Friend on 5 December 1984 at columns 360–61 will not give rise to any such costs.