§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now publish details of his decisions on the levels of student grants for the 1988-89 academic year.
Mr. JacksonThe main rates of student grant for the 1988-89 academic year were announced on 18 December 1987, at column759. Reductions in assessed parental contributions to compensate for the ending of tax relief on non-charitable covenants have also been announced. In addition, I announced on 24 February, at column 213, the Government's decision to amend the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations so that international degree courses will no longer require specific designation for awards purposes.
I am publishing today all the supplementary grant rates for 1988-89. Details have been placed in the Library. There will also be some further minor changes to the grant arrangements, including an increase in the disregard of orphans' trust income and a new disregard of the first £2,000 of all pension income in the calculation of student income.