§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will announce the level of student grants for the year 1988–89.
Mr. JacksonSubject to Parliament's approval of the necessary regulations, the main rates of student grant will be increased by 4 per cent. in the 1988–89 academic year. In England and Wales the new rates will be as follows (rates for 1987–88 are show in brackets):
760W
Undergraduate (£) Postgraduate (£) Hall or lodgings (i) London 2,425 (2,330) 3,630 (3,492) (ii) Elsewhere 2,050 (1,972) 2,975 (2,859) Parental home 1,630 (1,567) 2,160 (2,070) The threshold for parental contributions, and the points on the contribution scale at which the rate of contribution changes, will be uprated on average by about 6.5 per cent. Parents whose residual income is below £9,900 will not be assessed for a contribution. The minimum contribution will be increased from £40 to £50 and the maximum, which in general applies only to parents with more than one child in receipt of grant, will rise from £4,600 to £4,900.
The full parental contribution scale for 1988–89 will be as follows:
Residual income £ Contribution £ 9,900 50 10,000 64 11,000 207 12,000 350 12,600 435 12,700 455 12,800 475 12,900 495 13,000 515 14,000 715 15,000 915 16,000 1,115 17,000 1,315 18,000 1,515 18,400 1,595 18,500 1,620 19,000 1,745 20,000 1,995 21,000 2,245 22,000 2,495 23,000 2,745 24,000 2,995 25,000 3,245 26,000 3,495 27,000 3,745 28,000 3,995 29,000 4,245 30,000 4,495 31,000 4,745 31,620 14,900 1 Maximum. Notes:
1. For 1988–89 the level of contribution will be assessed at £1 in £7 for residual incomes from £9,900 to £12,600; then £1 in £4 to £18,400; and £1 in £4 thereafter. (In 1987–88 it is assessed at £1 in £7 for residual incomes from £9,300 to £11,800; then £1 in £5 to £7,300; and £1 in £4 thereafter.
2. The contribution payable may be less than the amounts shown on the scale, particularly at its top end and where the contribution is in respect of one award-holder only. This will depend on the amount of grant against which the contribution has to be set and whether any of the assessed contribution is offset by alowances for other dependent children.