HL Deb 09 December 2004 vol 667 cc66-7WS
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Filkin)

My honourable friend the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education (Dr. Kim Howells) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The level of support available to students in the academic year 2005–06 will be 2.5 per cent higher than for 2004–05, in line with forecast price increases. I am placing two memoranda in the Library giving details of the new loan, grant and fee rates for 2005–06. The rates set out in Memorandum I will be incorporated in the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2005, which will cover support for eligible students under the current arrangements.

Those set out in Memorandum 2 will be incorporated in the Education (Mandatory Awards) Amendment Regulations 2005 and the Education (Student Loans) Amendment Regulations 2005, which will cover the very small number of students who in 2005–06 will still receive awards and loans under the pre-1998 arrangements. The regulations will all be laid before Parliament in due course.