§ Mr. GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the level of discretionary awards for physical education students in(a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01. [74232]
§ Mr. Mudie[holding answer 2 March 1999]: From September 1999, LEA's existing powers to make discretionary awards will be replaced by the new student support arrangements introduced under the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998. For most HE and FE students who would otherwise have been eligible for discretionary awards, support will centre on access funds which we have increased significantly. LEAs will be able to support existing discretionary award holders during the remainder of their courses and will also be able to make discretionary payments to new students under the provisions of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998, if they choose to do so. Separate estimates are not made for individual subjects.