§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the administrative cost of operating the mature students' allowance in Scotland for each of the last five years for which information is available.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe mature students' allowance is administered as an integral part of the students' allowances scheme and it is not possible to identify the administrative costs separately.
§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students received the mature students' allowance in each of the last five years for which figures are available at universities in Scotland; and what percentage of all mature students in each year these figures represent.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe information is not available in the form requested.
The table shows the number of Scottish domiciled award holders under the students' allowances scheme who were in receipt of a mature students' allowance in each of the academic years 1989–90 to 1993–94, the latest year for which complete figures are available. The figures distinguish between award holders attending higher education institutions, including universities, in Scotland; other institutions in Scotland; and institutions outwith Scotland. The number of award holders in receipt of the mature students' allowance is expressed as a percentage of the total number of mature award holders in that academic year.
The responsibility for the provision of student support for students domiciled in England and Wales and Northern Ireland who may be attending institutions in Scotland rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, respectively.
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Table 1—Number of Scottish domiciled award holders in receipt of the mature students' allowance by category of institution Higher education institutions,Scotland Other institutions, Scotland Institutions outwith Scotland Total Percentage of mature award holders Academic year Number Number Number Number Percentage 1989–90 1,895 355 150 2,400 40 1990–91 2,331 440 158 2,929 42 1991–92 2,878 1,099 191 4,168 43 1992–93 3,644 1,716 211 5,571 47 1993–94 4,440 2,540 292 7,272 49 Notes:
1. The mature students' allowance is means tested and not all holders will necessarily have received the full amount.
2. For this purpose "mature award holder" is one who was aged 26 or over on entry to full-time higher education.