§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what adjustment is proposed to the total standard spending to take account of the transfer of funding for fee income discretionary awards from local authorities to the Higher Education Funding Council in the 1995–96 financial year, and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. BoswellWe propose to transfer £2.7 million from local authority finance to the Higher Education Funding Council for England—HEFCE—in 1995–96. This reflects the 45 per cent. reduction in the maximum tuition fee reimbursed through mandatory awards announced a year ago. This will lead to a reduction in local authorities' discretionary awards expenditure; there will be a matching increase in the funds distributed to universities and colleges through HEFCE grant.