§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of the £36 million access package for higher education is designed to benefit part-time students; and under what arrangements this will be distributed. [19189]
§ Dr. HowellsThe £36 million access package for higher education in 1998–99 includes some £2 million to enable universities and colleges in England to remit fees for part-time students in higher education who have lost their jobs. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) will distribute the funds: further information will be issued in due course.
The package also doubles the amount available for higher education Access Funds for next academic year. Part-time students will be eligible for assistance from the Funds for the first time. We will be discussing guidelines for the use of the Funds with the HEFCE, who allocate the Funds to institutions, and others shortly. We will inform the House of the decisions reached in the usual way.