HC Deb 02 March 1989 vol 148 c280W
Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide calculations on the cost and savings of the top-up loans scheme, as illustrated in annexe E, page 43 of the White Paper "Top-Up Loans for Students," on the basis of(a) 90 per cent. take-up, (b) 100 per cent. take-up, (c) 90 per cent. take-up with an expansion of student numbers similar to that in the 1980s and (d) 100 per cent. take-up with an expansion similar to that in the 1980s.

Mr. Jackson

The table shows how the net PSBR effect would vary with alternative take-up assumptions, for the student numbers assumed in the White Paper. It would not be realistic to project into the future the expansion of student numbers that occurred over the 1980s because the demographic outlook is quite different.

£ million, 1990 prices
80 per cent. Take-up 90 per cent. 100 per cent.
1990 103 123 144
1991 105 129 153
1992 103 128 154
1993 93 120 147
1994 78 106 133
1999 17 50 81
2004 -31 4 40
2009 -69 -33 3
2014 -162 -137 -113
2019 -205 -186 -167
2024 -227 -210 -194

Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide calculations on the cost and savings of the top-up loans scheme as illustrated in annex E, page 43, of the White Paper "Top-up Loans for Students" on the basis of the(a) four and (b) five year courses which medical and dental students in particular have to pursue.

Mr. Jackson

The calculation of the costs and savings of the Government's proposals for top-up loans for students, as set out in annex E of Cm. 520, already takes account of the longer courses pursued by students of medicine, dentistry, and some other subjects.