§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the collection by higher education institutions this term of fee contributions from(a) students and (b) local authorities. [103119]
§ Mr. WicksHigher education institutions are responsible for making arrangements to collect tuition fees from all those students liable to pay them. We have asked institutions to be sensitive and flexible in their collection of the fee contribution and therefore in many cases students will be paying in instalments extending beyond the first term. Local authorities pay the fee contribution for students who fall under the previous arrangements; the Student Loans Company will pay the fee contribution due for students entitled to support from public funds under the current arrangements. In both cases, payment is due to an institution once the continued attendance of each student is confirmed three months after the beginning of the academic year. For the academic year beginning 1 September 1999, such payments from local authorities should in most cases be received by 9 February 2000.