§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the criteria he uses to determine whether a vocational course should qualify for mandatory grants.
§ Mr. FormanThe Education Act 1962 permits my right hon. Friend to designate, for mandatory student awards, only those full-time and sandwich courses which lead to a first degree or comparable qualification, or to a DipHE or HND, and courses of initial teacher training. His present policy is to designate most courses which fall within those categories. Where, however, a course is a candidate for specific designation on an individual basis—for example, as a course provided by an institution other than a university and leading to a qualification comparable to a first degree—it is considered in the light of all the relevant factors.