§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what groups have made representations about the review of educational maintenance allowances in Northern Ireland;
(2) if he will implement the proposals contained in the NUS/USI document on a proposed new educational maintenance allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement;
78W(3) what arrangements he proposes to make regarding the issuing of a report after the review procedure of educational maintenance allowances has been completed;
(4) how long it will take to complete the review of educational maintenance allowances presently being undertaken by the Department of Education.
§ Dr. MawhinneyRepresentations have been received from the citizens advice bureaux, the NUS-USI, Omagh district council and the Western education and library board. I shall take into account the views of these bodies before reaching final conclusions. I shall also consider whether to issue a report and I will be making a statement later this year.
§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of payments made to those in receipt of educational maintenance allowance in each of the years 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88 in each of the four education and library boards in Northern Ireland.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe information is as follows:
Number of payments per annum1 Education and Library Boards 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 21987–88 Belfast 488 442 458 460 558 North-Eastern 864 982 412 436 320 South-Eastern 476 380 310 280 260 Southern 1,848 1,434 964 778 740 Western 2,072 1,500 1,260 1,136 1,120 1 EMAs are paid in two instalments per annum and the number in receipt of educational maintenance allowances is half the number shown in the table. 2 Estimated.
§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of total public recurrent expenditure on higher and further education has been attributable to educational maintenance allowances in each year from 1983 to date.
§ Dr. MawhinneyPublic expenditure on education maintenance allowances is incurred under the public expenditure programme for administration and miscellaneous services.
The expenditure figures are as follows:
£ 1983–84 523,838 1984–85 518,313 1985–86 363,990 1986–87 316,401 11987–88 264,000 1 Provisional. This expenditure, as a proportion of recurrent expenditure on higher and further education (including teacher training) is as follows:
Percentage 1983–84 0.4 1984–85 0.3 1985–86 0.2 1986–87 0.2 11987–88 0.1 1 Provisional.