§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average student loan taken out by students in(a) each region and (b) England was in each year since 1997–98. [146092]
§ Alan JohnsonThe tables show the average full-time income-contingent loan taken out by students in the English Government Office Regions and in England and the average mortgage style loan taken out by students in England.
Average income-contingent1,2 loan taken out by domicile of student—academic years 1999/2000 to 2002/033 Academic year Government Office Region4,5 1999/2000 2000/016 2001/027 2002/038 North East 3.060 3,020 3,060 n/a North West 3,130 3,090 3,130 n/a Yorkshire and Humberside 3,110 3.080 3,130 n/a East Midlands 3,190 3,120 3,170 n/a West Midlands 3,140 3,090 3,150 n/a East of England 3,180 3,150 3,190 n/a Inner London 3,540 3,470 3,500 n/a Outer London 3,240 3,200 3,240 n/a South East 3,180 3,130 3,160 n/a South West 3,240 3,190 3,250 n/a England 3,180 3,160 3,190 3,240 n/a = Regional breakdown not yet available. 1 New student support arrangements were introduced from academic year 1998/99. New students in 1998/99 (apart from certain specified exceptions) received support for maintenance expenditure through means-tested grants (comprising about a quarter of the support available) and non income-assessed student loans (comprising about three quarters of the support available). From 1999/2000 students who entered higher education after 1998/99 received support for maintenance expenditure through loans, of which approximately three quarters of the value was non income-assessed. Loans made under these arrangements are repayable on an income contingent basis. 2 Excludes the fixed rate loans (£500) for eligible part-time students, introduced in September 2000. 3 Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10. 4 Government Office Region of domicile of student. 5 Regional level data have been taken from available information and may include a small number of loans which have been authorised for payment but not paid. 6 The apparent fall in the average value of income-contingent loan taken out in 2000/01 can be explained mainly by the fact that this was the third year of this loan scheme; students on the third year of a three year course will receive the final year rate of loan which is at a lower rate as it does not cover the summer vacation. This effect is not present in 1999/2000 and has been levelled out in the years subsequent to 2000/01. Additionally, this is likely to be the first year in which those students on sandwich courses have their placement year and are therefore in receipt of the reduced rate of loan. 7 Latest year for which data by region are available. 8 Provisional. Source:
Student Loans Company.
475W
Average mortgage style1 loan taken out by domicile of student—academic years 1999/2000 to 2002/032 Academic year Domicile—England 1999/2000 1,470 2000/01 1,460 2001/02 1,520 2002/033 1,580 1Loans available to students who entered higher education up to academic year 1997/98 and those who entered in 1998/99 under existing arrangements. These loans are non-income assessed and are repayable on a fixed term, mortgage style, basis.
2 Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10.
3 Provisional
Source:
Student Loans Company.
Data on income-contingent loans at a regional, or England level are not available for academic year 1998/ 99; data on the domicile of students taking out fixed rate mortgage style loans (normally those who entered higher education before 1998/99) are only available at a UK level for 1997/98 and 1998/99. For subsequent years, data are not available below England level because applications are made through the students' education institution.