§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will amend regulations to ensure that the disabled students' allowance is based on assessment of need in place of means testing.
Mr. JacksonAssessments for the disabled students' allowance within mandatory awards already take into account relevant expenditure actually incurred by the student. In practice, a student will receive maintenance grant, including at least the amount assessed for this allowance, unless the parental or other contribution is based on quite high levels of income. My right hon. Friend regards this as a reasonable balance between public and family support for such students. He has no present plans to treat the allowance differently from other elements of the mandatory award by excluding it from means testing.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what date he expects to announce his Department's new arrangements for the disabled students' allowance.
Mr. JacksonMy right hon. Friend announced improvements in the disabled students' allowance for the academic year 1990–91 in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Norris) on 19 March,Official Report, col. 417-18. Revised mandatory awards regulations will be laid before Parliament in the summer, and any necessary guidance will be issued to local education authorities and students then.