§ Mr. Radiceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what changes to the student grant system were investigated during his Department's review.
§ Sir Keith JosephA wide variety of changes were considered including the extension of student support to all full-time advanced courses, the abolition or reduction of the parental contribution and lowering the age of independence. However, without the introduction of loans, or without some severe cutback to the present system, or of increased funding which would have been contrary to the Government's policies to constrain public expenditure, it would not have been possible to finance such changes, however desirable.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what factors he took into account when deciding that means tested grants to undergraduates and full grants for postgraduates should be increased by £36 a year.
§ Mr. WaldenThe recently announced 1986–87 grant increase of about 2 per cent. (around £36 a year) represents a balance between students' needs and the total expenditure which taxpayers and ratepayers can reasonably be asked to meet, given other claims on scarce resources. Any increase to student awards agreed following consultations currently being conducted by the Social Security Advisory Committee on the disentitlement of students to certain benefits will be paid in addition to this. The announcement is recorded inHansard, 16 December 1985, at column 39.