HC Deb 19 December 1989 vol 164 cc218-9W
Mr. Hannam

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many disabled students do not receive the disabled students allowance because(a) they are not in receipt of a mandatory award and (b) they have no additional disability-related costs.

Mr. Jackson

This information is not collected centrally.

Mr. Hannam

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make particular arrangements for the repayment of loans by disabled students and people who become disabled after graduation.

Mr. Jackson

My right hon. Friend intends that disabled people with low incomes should be protected by the standard provision for deferment of repayments. Like other aspects of the loans scheme, these arrangements will be monitored.

Mr. Hannam

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures his Department is taking to publicise the disabled students allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

The availability of the disabled students allowance for mandatory award holders is publicised in the DES booklet "Grants for Students". Bulk supplies are sent each year by the Department to local education authorities for wide free distribution among schools, colleges and other establishments. Copies are available to the public on request.

Mr. Hannam

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to ensure that disabled students are enabled to benefit fully from the access funds proposed in the White Paper "Top-Up Loans for Students".

Mr. Jackson

Each further or higher education institution will be responsible for assessing the needs of students, including any who are disabled, and will distribute its share of the access funds accordingly.

Mr. Hannam

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will begin consultation on reviewing the maximum level of the disabled students allowance.

Mr. Jackson

Comments on the disabled students' allowance for mandatory award holders have already been received from interested bodies. My right hon. Friend will take these and any other representations into account in the course of the annual review of the awards regulations, so that any changes made can take effect from 1 September 1990.

Mr. Hannam

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will begin consultation to revise guidelines to local education authorities on the administration of the disabled students allowance.

Mr. Jackson

Before making the awards regulations each year my right hon. Friend considers representations from a number of sources about the detail of the provisions made in them. This process is well under way for 1990. As in previous years, once the 1990 regulations have been made the Department is likely to issue guidance designed to help local authorities to put them into effect.