§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many continuing students, commencing a degree course, or postgraduate teacher training course, in Scotland in the autumn of 1995, will be eligible for the mature students allowance. [29194]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe information requested is not available at this time. The Student Awards Agency for Scotland, which is responsible for offering assistance to Scottish domiciled students undertaking full-time courses of higher education of the kind referred to, is still receiving student award applications for session 1995–96.
The mature students allowance is a supplementary, age-related, means-tested, allowance administered as an integral part of the student allowances scheme. In session 1995–96, it will be available to those students who commenced a continuous programme of assisted full-time study before session 1995–96, and who meet all the other criteria of the scheme, provided they are continuing with their current course or proceeding direct to another eligible course in session 1995–96 without a gap. The allowance will not be available to new students who commence a programme of full-time study in session 1995–96.
The responsibility for the provision of student support for those 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.