§ Mr. Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the dance and drama awards for students on further education courses. [101314]
§ Mr. WicksOver 830 of the most talented students have been successful at auditions and are now benefiting from the awards while they train at some of the country's leading dance and drama schools. The latest information suggests that the awards have already succeeded in attracting unprecedented numbers of students from families with among the lowest levels of family income. Over 20 per cent. of students are from families with incomes of less than £10,000 per annum.
The awards provide substantial help with tuition fees and a contribution towards living costs. However, we have recently announced that from next September the level of award paid to students on further education courses and living away from home will increase from a maximum of £2,025 to £4,025. Within these amounts the provision for students' living costs rises from £1,000 to £3,000 per annum (£2,550 outside London). The sums will be targeted in order to provide increased resources to students in greatest need. We have also raised the 227W assessment threshold so that all students with residual family incomes below £17,369 will get the appropriate maximum funding available.
Pending the introduction of the new rates next year, additional funding of up to £2,000 per student will be paid to students. This will be over and above their current funding for fees and living costs and will be allocated relative to their assessed needs. We plan to make the first additional payments in December.