§ Mr. WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland at what(a) net and (b) gross parental or household income level Scottish students will be required to pay the full £1,000 per annum tuition fee. [17850]
§ Mr. Wilson[holding answer 27 November 1997]: The rates for student awards and loans, and the associated contribution scales, for academic year 1998–99 have not yet been determined.
Had tuition fee contributions been in effect in academic year 1997–98, eligible Scottish domiciled students with a net parental income after allowable deductions of about £26,500 would have been assessed as due to pay the full £1,000; the comparable figure for a spouse contribution would have been in the region of £22,250.
It is not practicable to give individual figures for the equivalent gross income since this would depend on the circumstances of the family concerned though, typically, the figure would be about £35,000 per annum.
Means-testing will be carried out in exactly the same way north and south of the border, using the same sealer, as now.