HL Deb 25 July 1991 vol 531 c79WA
Baroness David

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In view of the conclusion of a recent survey from Surrey Research Associates that students are buying fewer books than eight years ago, whether they will consider, within their current investigations into student finance, a mechanism which will ensure that separate moneys are available to students to buy the books they need and that this expenditure is not swallowed by maintenance costs.

Baroness Blatch

The new arrangements for student support provide substantially increased resources to meet students' costs, including book purchase. The full-year total of loan and grant together for 1990/91 is 25 per cent. more than the grant alone in 1989–90, and will be increased by a further 6 per cent. in 1991/92. The Government intend to monitor the new arrangements, but see no case for major changes such as introducing separate grants for book purchase.