§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had with interested parties on the administration of the access funds established by the Student Loans Act; and when he expects to publish the details of the administration of the access funds.
Mr. JacksonAccess funds, which will be established by my right hon. Friend by virtue of his powers under the Education Reform Act 1988 and the Education Act 1944, were the subject of consultation papers issued to interested parties last year. Since then, officials have had discussions with representatives of the institutions, the Universities Funding Council, the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council and local authorities. Additionally officials have participated in conferences and seminars organised among the institutions themselves.
Statements of conditions of payment and notes of guidance have been sent to the chairmen of the governing bodies of maintained further education colleges and chief education officers, and to the two funding councils. Copies of these documents have been placed in the Library of both Houses. It falls to the two funding councils to draw up statements of conditions of payment and guidance notes on the access funds for their institutions.