§ Mr. PickthallTo ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the correlation between student drop-out rates in higher education and student poverty.
§ Mr. BoswellInformation about the reasons for student drop-out is not collected centrally. Since 1990, total support available to students has increased in real terms. The Government have also provided access funds to help52W students in particular need. There is no evidence of widespread student poverty.
§ Mr. PickthallTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list for each local education authority(a) the total number of discretionary awards, schedules 1 and 2, (b) the total value of those awards and (c) the average value of each award, for (i) 1992–93 and (ii) 1993–94.
§ Mr. BoswellThe information requested for 1992–93 is published in tables 7 to 12 of "Statistics of Education, Student Support Volume 1992–93" copies of which are in the Library. Tables 7 to 9 show data for section 1(6) awards and section 2 awards in higher education; tables 10 to 12 show data for section 2 awards in further education.
Returns made to the Department by local education authorities about discretionary awards for the academic year 1993–94 are being received now. Information at LEA level will not be available for publication until this summer.