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Scottish Office

Answer

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what proportion of those full-time new entrant students whose university or college tuition fees were paid for by the Student Awards agency for Scotland or its predecessor bodies received the maximum maintenance award in (a) 1968, (b) 1972, (c) 1977, (d) 1982, (e) 1987, (f) 1992 and (g) 1997; what would the figures for 1997 have been if all points of the residual Income Scale for parental/spouse contributions had been increased by £10,000; and what would be the cost to public funds of such an increase. [60010] Mrs. Liddell: [holding answer 16 November 1998]: The available information is set out in the tables. For academic years prior to 1997-98 it is not possible to distinguish between new entrants and continuing students. The information provided in Table 1 is based on all award holders in the year in question. The figures for 1992-93 and later include award holders on full time Higher National Certificate courses, whereas those for earlier years do not. Data for 1968-69 is not readily available. Table 2 sets out the available information on new entrant award holders in academic year 1997-98. It is based on provisional data which is subject to change. It is not possible to calculate the effect of an increase in the residual income scale for parental/spouse contributions by £10,000 as no information is held on the income distribution of those families claiming fees only awards. An increase in the residual income scale would mean that some of these students would become entitled to an award. Students receiving the maximum maintenance award _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Year Number of award holders Percentage of award holders 1972-73 12,280 27 1977-78 14,940 28 1982-83 19,857 35 1987-88 21,204 36 1992-93 36,561 41 1996-97 47,417 43 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. New entrants in academic year 1997-98 receiving maximum maintenance awards _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Number of new entrant award holders Number receiving full maintenance awards 42,135 18,896 (45%) _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

319 c582-3W; 60010

Session

1997-98

Subjects

Costs Fees and charges Grants Higher education Loans Scotland Students

Contains statistics

Yes