§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Prime Minister if she will estimate the saving which could be made if the rules of parental contribution applicable to university students were applied to parents given a Government boarding allowance.
§ The Prime MinisterThe necessary information on parental income is not available since, as I explained to the hon. Member on 14 December, at column 606, this is not a factor in determining boarding allowances for the children of public servants.
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§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Prime Minister if she will publish figures broken down by Department for the cost of Government boarding allowance schemes for public servants in 1983–84; and if she will set out the circumstances for each scheme in which allowances are paid.
§ The Prime MinisterThe figures requested for 1983–84 are as follows:
£ million Armed Forces 76.5 Diplomatic Service 5.9 British Council 1.2 Overseas Development Administration 0.7 Ministry of Defence (Civilians) 0.5 Other Departments 0.2 Total 85.0 The total differs slightly from that given in my reply to the hon. Member on 14 December at column 606, because that reply covered only the Ministry of Defence and the Diplomatic Service.