Education and Library Boards (Hansard, 19 July 1996)

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list the number and value of(a) mandatory awards, (b) discretionary awards and (c) educational maintenance allowances provided by each individual education and library board since 1988–89; [37207]
(2) what would be the cost of introducing education maintenance allowances at the same rates as (a) income support for young people and (b) training allowances paid to 16 and 17 year-olds on job skills programmes; [37169]
(3) what are the present administration costs of educational maintenance allowances. [37480]

§ Mr. Ancram
The information on mandatory and discretionary awards is:

Year Numbers (thousands) Expenditure

Tuition fees and maintenance

Academic year Financial year

Mandatory Discretionary Mandatory Discretionary

1988–89 19.7 1.9 37.4 3.8

1989–90 21.0 2.0 42.1 4.2

1990–91 22.6 2.5 ²56.2 4.6

1991–92 ¹28.5 2.8 ¹91.2 5.0

1992–93 30.5 3.2 110.9 5.8

1993–94 33.9 3.1 ³117.2 6.2

1994–95 36.6 2.7 ⁴102.1 6.8

1995–96 37.2 2.7 ⁵92.1 6.8

Source:

Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities 1994–95–1996–97 and 1996–97–1998–99.

¹ Includes teacher training and EC students from September 1991.

² Shift in institutional funding towards the fee introduced in September 1990.

³ Shift of fees towards institutional funding from September 1993 and reduction of 10 per cent. in maintenance grant with effect from 1 September 1994.

⁴ Reduction of 45 per cent. institution fees across fee bands and reduction of 7.7 per cent. in maintenance grant with effect from 1 September 1995.

⁵ Reduction of 8.5 per cent. in maintenance grant with effect from 1 September 1996.

706W
The information requested in part (c) of question 37202 and in question 37480 is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member when it becomes available and place a copy in the Library.
The information requested on the possible introduction of education maintenance allowances is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the advice of the working groups which evaluated the practicality of providing a range of education and library board services on a regional basis. [37218]

§ Mr. Ancram
Copies of the report of each of the six working groups which were established to examine the practicalities of providing a range of services on a regional basis have been sent to the education and library boards and the NI public service alliance, which had requested copies. Further work has been commissioned on grants and awards and on capital planning and construction services.
I will arrange for a copy of each report and the Department's response to be sent to the hon. Member and placed in the Library.

Year	Numbers (thousands)	Expenditure
	Tuition fees and maintenance
	Academic year	Financial year
	Mandatory	Discretionary	Mandatory	Discretionary
1988–89	19.7	1.9	37.4	3.8
1989–90	21.0	2.0	42.1	4.2
1990–91	22.6	2.5	²56.2	4.6
1991–92	¹28.5	2.8	¹91.2	5.0
1992–93	30.5	3.2	110.9	5.8
1993–94	33.9	3.1	³117.2	6.2
1994–95	36.6	2.7	⁴102.1	6.8
1995–96	37.2	2.7	⁵92.1	6.8
Source:
Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities 1994–95–1996–97 and 1996–97–1998–99.
¹ Includes teacher training and EC students from September 1991.
² Shift in institutional funding towards the fee introduced in September 1990.
³ Shift of fees towards institutional funding from September 1993 and reduction of 10 per cent. in maintenance grant with effect from 1 September 1994.
⁴ Reduction of 45 per cent. institution fees across fee bands and reduction of 7.7 per cent. in maintenance grant with effect from 1 September 1995.
⁵ Reduction of 8.5 per cent. in maintenance grant with effect from 1 September 1996.