§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will publish the results of the pilot project for the Student Loan Company protocol computer system conducted in 2003, including feedback from local education authorities. [179589]
§ Alan Johnson[holding answer 21 Lune 2004]: We have no plans to publish operational reports. However, the hon. Gentleman may wish to know that the 2003 pilot of the Protocol system was successful All but a very small number of students who applied by the published deadlines in the pilot areas were paid at the start of term; all students in these areas who applied on-time had a payment by 25 September 2003. These results were an important part of the decision to roll-out the new system to all local education authorities (LEAs): a decision which was agreed with all stakeholders including representatives from LEAs.
As with any pilot there were lessons learned and comments from LEAs about the way the system operated. The Student Loans Company have taken steps to address these issues in the design of the 2004/05 version of the system.