§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of extending student loans to part-time students in(a) further and (b) higher education; [32822]
(2) what plans he has for further assistance for students in part-time education. [32823]
§ Dr. HowellsWe agree with the Dearing Committee's recommendation that extending loans to part-time students in higher education should not be a priority. The Department estimates that the costs of extending loans to part-time students in higher education would be of the order of £350 million per year in the short term, depending on take-up. No estimates have been made of the costs of extending student loans to part-time students in further education.
We do recognise the needs of part-time students and have taken positive steps to ensure that they are not financially disadvantaged. Students in higher education who are unfortunate enough to lose their jobs, through no fault of their own, will be able to have their fees remitted. Eligibility for Access Funds will be extended to part-time students in higher education from 1998–99. In addition, the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security are reviewing, as the Dearing Committee recommended, the interaction between benefit entitlement and part-time study.