§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how far the access funds made available to education establishments in the current year are to be used to replace housing benefit to students; and how access funds will be administered with the academic and financial years beginning at different times.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe purpose of the new student support system, comprising maintainence grants, loans and access funds, is to make it unnecessary for students to rely on social security benefits. Access funds are paid at the discretion of the educational institutions concerned to help students with particular difficulties to meet their living costs.
Funds provided in the current financial year are for the current academic year, and up to 15 per cent. of an institution's allocation may be paid to students in the summer term.