§ Mr. RobathanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many students awarded service scholarships, undergraduate bursaries and cadetships, who were due to enter military colleges in the past five years, have withdrawn from the scheme; how many of those who have withdrawn repaid in full funds advanced to them prior to their withdrawal; whether the armed forces continue to pursue those who have not repaid sums received; and how much has been written off in each of the past five years. [133866]
§ Mr. CaplinThose awarded university cadetships or bursaries are required, as a condition of the offer, to agree to refund the costs of the cadetship or bursary should they fail to complete five years (cadetships) or three years (bursaries) productive service (six years for Medical Cadetships and the RAF Flying Branch). Each case is considered on its merits, but it is the Department's normal practice to seek to recover its appropriate outlay when the specified return of service is not given, through a decision to leave the Service attributable to the individual. Salary payments are not recovered in respect of cadetships. Allowance is not made for time served except in respect of uniform costs. Recovery is not sought from those individuals whose service, or bursary, is terminated through no fault of their own (e.g. on medical grounds) and may be waived in whole or part on compassionate grounds or in other exceptional circumstances.
501WThe following table gives details of the number of withdrawals from Army and RAF scholarships, cadetships and bursaries.
Withdrawal from scholarships, cadetships and bursaries RN/RM* Army RAF 1999–2000 11 57 Not available 2000–01 11 77 58 2001–02 24 69 58 2002–03 17 55 32 2003–04 17 34 21 Total 80 292 169 The number of recoveries initiated:
Recoveries initiated Army RAF 1999–2000 46 58 2000–01 63 39 2001–02 68 48 2002–03 55 27 2003–04 34 18 Total 256 190 All award holder withdrawals (with the exception of the few who are excused repayment in accordance with the above policy) are pursued for full recovery, although some write-off actions have occurred and these are detailed as follows. The year in which write-off action is taken is not necessarily the year in which withdrawal occurred.
Number of cases involving write-off action Army RAF 1999–2000 0 0 2000–01 0 4 2001–02 4 7 2002–03 4 2 2003–04 8 0 Total 16 13 I will write to the hon. Member once similar figures regarding withdrawals from Royal Marines scholarships, cadetships and bursaries have been collated and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.