32. Mr. Michael J. FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on support for dance and drama students. [123367]
§ Mr. WicksThe Dance and Drama Awards announced by my right hon. Friend on 27 November 1998 have been a great success. These scholarships have been taken up fully and over 830 students have started training. A similar allocation has been made for the second intake in September 2000.
The awards have enabled an unprecedented number of students from low income families to enter training and to study for further and higher education qualifications. We have increased the level of maintenance available to further education students by 300 per cent. to £3,000 a year, to support them through their training. Students on higher education courses have access to the same financial support as other undergraduates, including student loans.
Other dance and drama students also have access to support towards their fees and maintenance in the publicly maintained further and higher education sectors.