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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Student Loans
Mr. Opik: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to extend access to student loans for part-time students in higher education; and if he will make a statement. [13170]
Dr. Howells: The Government agrees with the Dearing Committee's conclusion that in the light of other requirements for additional funding in higher education, and the fact that many part-time students have access to other resources, extending loans to part-time students should not be a priority. The Committee looked at other ways of securing equity for part-time students, and we are considering its recommendations. In this context, we have already announced that we shall be making funds available for the remission of fees for part-time students who have lost their jobs. We have also indicated that part-time students will benefit from support from increased access funds.
Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to extend eligibility for supplementary hardship loans to part-time students in higher education from 1998-99; and what estimate he has made of the cost. [14433]
Dr. Howells: The Government has no plans to extend eligibility for supplementary loans, but in line with the Dearing Committee's recommendations is considering other ways of supporting part-time students who experience financial hardship. We have already announced that we shall be making funds available for the remission of fees for part-time students who have lost their jobs. We have also indicated that part-time students will benefit from support from increased access funds.
Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what age considerations will be taken into account in decisions on eligibility for student loans in higher education from 1998-99. [14432]
Dr. Howells:
In the 1998-99 academic year, students who are aged 50 or over when their courses begin will not be eligible for student loans, but will be entitled to fee support and maintenance grants on the same basis as other students. We are reviewing the eligibility criteria, including those relating to age, which will apply to student loans in 1999-2000 and beyond.
6 Nov 1997 : Column: 308
Mrs. Humble:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made on introducing prototype employment zones; and if he will make a statement. [14422]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
On 15 September we published a prospectus and invited eight areas to bid to become prototype Employment Zones. All eight areas submitted outline bids on 6 October which were very encouraging. Final bids are due on 17 November and we expect to announce the successful partnerships in early December with the prototype Employment Zones starting in February 1998.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice his Department has given to the Employment Service on the minimum weekly wage that should be payable to 18 to 25-year-olds offered employment under the New Deal. [14428]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
This Department's policy is set out in the Design of the New Deal for 18-24-year-olds which states that:
A copy of the Design of the New Deal for 18-24-year-olds has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Stevenson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list (a) the total costs of the Office for Standards in Education since being established and (b) the annual costs. [14363]
Mr. Byers:
The total cost of Ofsted from April 1993 to March 1997 was £313 million. The costs from September 1992 to March 1993 were within the budget of the Department of Education and were not separately identified.
"Employers [will] not make a direct cash profit from the subsidy, but that the New Deal employee [will cost] them in wages at least as much as they receive in subsidy. It is expected that the New Deal employees will receive the normal rate paid to comparable employees of the company".
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 46 |
| 1994-95 | 63 |
| 1995-96 | 82 |
| 1996-97 | 122 |
| 1997-98 (forecast) | 151 |
Students (Fees)
Mr. Gordon Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to exempt unemployed students on part-time higher education courses from tuition fees from 1998-99; and what estimate he has made of the cost. [14431]
6 Nov 1997 : Column: 309
Dr. Howells:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State plans to make funds available from 1998-99 to the Higher Education Funding Council for England to enable universities and colleges in England to remit fees for part-time students in higher education who have lost their jobs. Some £2 million will be available for this purpose in 1998-99. Further information will be issued in due course.
Dr. Vis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement about his plans for adult vocational postgraduate education in the United Kingdom in colleges of education. [13108]
Dr. Howells:
The Report of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education chaired by Sir Ron Dearing, published on 23 July, recommended that more sub-degree provision should take place in FE colleges and that there should be no growth in degree level qualifications offered by FE colleges. The consultation on the report's recommendations ended in early October and we are still considering the responses. We will respond to this and other Dearing Report recommendations in due course.
Dr. Vis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what arrangements exist in respect of visas, work permits and length of allowable stay to encourage the recruitment of non-European Union residents with special qualifications and expertise in areas where (a) the United Kingdom and (b) EU states have shortfalls. [13112]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
The work permit arrangements are designed to allow UK employers to fill posts requiring high level qualifications, senior level responsibilities, or rare technical skills for which no suitably qualified resident labour is available.
These arrangements are continuously reviewed to take account of changes in the UK labour market. Other EU Member States generally have their own, broadly similar, systems.
Work permits are approved for periods up to a maximum of four years. The period of approval depends on the skills and experience required and the length of time the need is expected to continue.
Visas are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will produce copies of the report "Excellence for Children--Meeting Special Educational Needs" in a video format for British Sign Language users. [14594]
6 Nov 1997 : Column: 310
Ms Estelle Morris:
It is impractical to produce the SEN Green Paper in video format. I hope that, in consulting on the Green Paper, organisations representing hearing-impaired people will take into account the views of those who are unable to access the printed document.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students who did not hold a British passport enrolled at United Kingdom universities from (a) other EU countries and (b) south-east Asia for each of the last five years; and what are the projected enrolment figures for (i) the current academic year and (ii) the next two academic years. [14695]
Dr. Howells:
I will write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers others than those in further or higher education or independent schools (a) were made redundant and (b) did not have their contracts renewed for each month from September 1996 to September 1997. [14694]
Mr. Byers:
I will write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of university applications for 1997-98 and the levels of parental income of applicants compared to previous years; and if he will make a statement. [14559]
Dr. Howells:
I will write to the hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 29 October, Official Report, column 819, what proportion of teachers, other than those in further or higher education or independent schools, who retired under the age of 60 years in the period October 1996 to September 1997 retired (a) on the grounds of (i) ill-health, (ii) efficiency or (iii) redundancy and (b) aged (1) under 30, (2) 30 to 34, (3) 35 to 39, (4) 40 to 44, (5) 45 to 49, (6) 50 to 54 and (7) 55 to 59 years. [14702]
Mr. Byers:
I will write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
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