§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research has been carried out by him into the effects of his proposals to remove students' eligibility to claim housing, supplementary and unemployment benefits; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe current proposals affecting students' entitlement to benefits are designed to tackle some of the least appropriate and most wasteful aspects of the present arrangements. They will result in a more rational and straightforward system which will be considerably easier to administer. So far as students themselves are concerned, some three-quarters of the total of half a million will be affected, with about 140,000 gaining the full value of the proposed increase of £36 in the grant. For the remaining 275,000, the net effect will vary depending on their individual circumstances: most are likely to have some reduction in their combined grant and social security entitlement, compared with their position under the current arrangements. The proposals do not affect entitlement to supplementary benefit or unemployment benefit in the long vacation and do not exclude students in privately rented accommodation from housing benefit in term times or short vacations, or in long vacations if they remain in the accommodation.