§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discretion exists under current Scottish Office Education Department regulations and guidelines to allow institutions to make payments from access funds to students who are eligible for, but have not applied for, a student loan.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 27 January 1995]: The guidance issued to institutions indicates that if an eligible student has not taken out a loan, and there are no exceptional circumstances, it would be reasonable to conclude that his or her circumstances were not sufficiently difficult to warrant assistance from the access funds.
We therefore expect the provision of assistance from the access funds to such students, other than on as 502W short-term immediate need basis, to be very much the exception.
§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many students applied for assistance from the access funds in Scotland for the academic year 1993–94; and how many received payments;
(2) what was the amount disbursed to students from access funds in respect of fees, books, equipment, accommodation, child care, or other needs for each higher and further education institution in Scotland for the academic year 1993–94.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 27 January 1995]: A full breakdown is not available since not all institutions have been able to provide the information requested. The table sets out the available information by institutional sector based on returns submitted to date.
Access funds 1993–94 Higher education institutions Further education colleges Total Number of students applying1 13,500 4,600 18,100 Number of students assisted1 8,600 3,800 12,400 Amounts disbursed1 £1.9 million £0.7 million £2.6 million Amounts available to all institutions £2.7 million £1.1 million £3.8 million 1 No adjustments have been made for outstanding returns.
§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the percentage changes in the number of students applying for assistance from access funds between each year since the system began and the academic year 1993–94.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 27 January 1995]: The available information, based on returns received to date, is set out in the table.
Figures for 1993–94 are not comparable with earlier years due to inclusion of returns from Scottish universities which, prior to that session, received their access funds resources from the then Universities Funding Council.
1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 Number of students applying 11,000 12,600 12,700 18,100 Percentage increase on previous year — 14 per cent. 1 per cent. 42 per cent.
§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the results of the monitoring returns for Scotland and higher education institutions on the use of discretionary funds for 1993–94.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 27 January 1995]: I assume that the hon. Member is referring to access funds.
The detailed information so far available for academic year 1993–94 is not sufficiently comprehensive to justify publication. We will consider how best to disseminate the information when we have a more complete picture.