HC Deb 20 January 1986 vol 90 cc72-3W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total value of all full-value awards granted by local authorities to students over 19 years for the last five years for which data are available at outturn and at 1984–85 prices, and indexed using 1979 as a base; and what was the total value of mandatory awards according to the same categories.

Mr. Walden

Such information is not collected according to the student's age. Students in receipt of a full-value mandatory or discretionary award are normally aged at least 19, although a small number may be younger. The information relates to maintenance expenditure in respect of all students in receipt of a full-value award.

the number of new discretionary awards made each year since 1979 (a) in full and (b) in part; and what proportion they represent within total awards made.

Mr. Walden

The information is as follows:

Assessed parental contributions (£ million) Index of assessed parental contributions deflated by increases in retail prices (1974–75=100) at September of each entry year
Academic year
1974–75 62 100
1975–76 84 109
1976–77 101 114
1977–78 102 99
1978–79 99 89
1979–80 92 71
1980–81 107 71
1981–82 137 82
1982–83 167 94
1983–84 184 98
Assessed parental contributions (£ million) Index of assessed parental contributions deflated by increases in retail prices (1974–75=100) at September of each entry year
1984–85* 237 121
1985–86 277 133
1986–87 292
1987–88 306
1988–89 316

* Estimated

Forecasts

Not available

Mr. Rhodes James

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he intends to re-introduce his special review of student grants.

Mr. Walden

My right hon. Friend announced on 12 November 1985, at column 113, that, since the possibility of replacing maintenance grants wholly or partly with loans had been ruled out at the present time by the Government, he did not consider that any useful purpose would be served by the publication of a consultative paper on student support.