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17 Nov 2003 : Column 553W—continued
School Meals
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school students are eligible for free school meals in each English local education authority area. [137546]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
School Workforce Agreement
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much he has included in his 2004–05 Schools budget for the full implementation of the School Workforce Agreement. [136887]
Mr. Miliband: On 29 October we announced a package of measures to deliver greater stability in school budgets for 2004–05. These measures provide headroom over the average cost pressures that schools face to help schools implement the National Agreement on workforce reform.
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In addition, much progress can also be made from schools managing their total resources—people and resources—in different ways. For example, in September 2004, a limit of 38 hours will be introduced on the amount of cover an individual teacher can be required to undertake. Although the majority of teachers will not be affected by this initial limit, it provides an opportunity for schools to examine the use of supply teachers for providing short-term cover, and developing the use of cover supervision by trained support staff.
Secondary Education (Somerset)
Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils entered secondary education in Somerset in each of the last six years; and how many secondary school admission appeals there were in the Somerset local education authority in the same periods, broken down by (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful appeals. [137382]
Mr. Miliband: The available information is shown in the table.
| Somerset local education authority | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appeals heard | Appeals decided in parent's favour | |||||||
| Number of admissions | Number of appeals | Number | Percentage(45) | Number | Percentage(46) | |||
| 1996/97 | 6,163 | 115 | 88 | 76.5 | 43 | 48.9 | ||
| 1997/98 | 6,333 | 186 | 157 | 84.4 | 90 | 57.3 | ||
| 1998/99 | 6,466 | 160 | 122 | 76.3 | 60 | 49.2 | ||
| 1999/2000 | 6,869 | 141 | 83 | 58.9 | 47 | 56.6 | ||
| 2000/01 | 6,787 | 321 | 190 | 59.2 | 127 | 66.8 | ||
| 2001/02 | (47)7,700 | 361 | 236 | 65.4 | 153 | 64.8 | ||
(45) Number of appeals heard expressed as a percentage of number of appeals lodged.
(46) Number of appeals decided in parent's favour expressed as a percentage of number of appeals heard.
(47) Due to changes in the underlying data collection the number of admissions shown here is not directly comparable with those for earlier years. In previous years the number of admissions reflected the total number of pupils of the school's basic entry age who started school at the start of the academic year. In 2001/02 the coverage is extended to all new admissions to schools regardless of pupils' age. Rounded to nearest 100.
Source:
Annual Schools' Census and Admission Appeals Survey
Secondary School Places
Mr. Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils entered secondary education in the Leeds Local Education Authority over the last five years; and how many secondary school admission appeals there were in Leeds LEA over the same period, broken down between (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful appeals. [136786]
Mr. Miliband: The available information is shown in the table.
| Leeds Local Education Authority | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appeals heard | Appeals decided in parent's favour | |||||
| Number of admissions | Number of appeals lodged | Number | Percentage(48) | Number | Percentage(49) | |
| 1997/98 | 8,375 | 1,186 | 664 | 56.0 | 337 | 50.8 |
| 1998/99 | 8,375 | 1,707 | 996 | 58.3 | 457 | 45.9 |
| 1999/2000 | 8,360 | 1,149 | 879 | 76.5 | 407 | 46.3 |
| 2000/01 | 8,637 | 1,646 | 1,095 | 66.5 | 386 | 35.3 |
| 2001/02 | 9,100(50) | 1,585 | 981 | 61.9 | 394 | 40.2 |
(48) Number of appeals heard expressed as a percentage of number of appeals lodged.
(49) Number of appeals decided in parent's favour expressed as a percentage of number of appeals heard.
(50) Due to changes in the underlying data collection, the number of admissions shown here is not directly comparable with those for earlier years. In previous years, the number of admissions reflected the total number of pupils of the school's basic entry age who started school at the start of the academic year. In 2001/02, the coverage is extended to all new admissions to schools regardless of pupils' age. Rounded to nearest 100.
Source:
Annual Schools' Census and Admission Appeals Survey.
17 Nov 2003 : Column 555W
Student Finance
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment has been made of the average indebtedness of students upon graduation in each of the last 10 years. [137475]
Alan Johnson: The table shows the average student loan debt at the point at which they entered repayment status for borrowers who became liable to repay their loans in financial years 1999–2000 to 2002–03. Data for earlier years are not available.
| Financial year enteredrepayment status(52) | Mortgagestyle loans(53) | Income contingent loans(54) | Part-time loans(55) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 3,530 | (56)— | (56)— |
| 2000–01 | 4.090 | 2,300 | (56)— |
| 2001–02 | 4,490 | 3,410 | 450 |
| 2002–03 | 5,150 | 5,980 | 520 |
(51) Data rounded to nearest £10. Includes interest accrued up to the point of entering repayment status. Excludes any early voluntary repayments which may have been made before borrowers enter repayment status. Debt of borrowers with more than one loan type has been split between types.
(52) Borrowers enter repayment status in the April following their graduation or otherwise leaving their course. Borrowers may have accounts in more than one cohort year of entering repayment.
(53) Loans made to students who entered higher education up to 1997–98 or who entered in 1998–99 under existing arrangements. Includes loans repayable to the private sector following the sale of two trenches of student loans.
(54) Loans, repayable on an income contingent basis, available to students who entered higher education from academic year 1998–99. These loans were subject to a repayment holiday until April 2000. Includes hardship loans.
(55) Fixed-rate loans made to eligible part-time students, introduced in September 2000.
(56) Not applicable.
Source:
Student Loans Company
The first cohort of students on a three-year degree course who entered higher education under the new student support arrangements became liable for repayment in April 2002. That, and earlier, cohorts includes a disproportionate number of students on shorter courses as well as those who have left higher education before completing their courses. Therefore the average level of debt will not be representative of the average debt experienced by those who complete their courses.
Borrowers are liable to repay their loans from the April following graduation or otherwise leaving their course. Students who started their course from the 1998–99 academic year will repay income contingent loans. Loans for those who started their course before 1998–99 are repayable on a mortgage style basis.
The Department does not have annual data for HE students' total debt on graduation (including bank loans, overdrafts, credit cards, and informal debts to family and friends). The Student income and Expenditure Survey (SIES), which collects this information is undertaken every three to four years. Findings from the last survey in 1998–99 showed that the average total anticipated debt of all full-time
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students graduating in 1998–99 was £3,462. The Department has conducted a SIES for the 2002–03 academic year which will be published shortly.
Student Loans
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average student loan for a student from (a) the North West region, (b) Merseyside, (c) St. Helens and (d) England was in each year since 1997. [137996]
Alan Johnson: Information on the region or Local Education Authority of domicile of applicants for student loans is not available prior to academic year 1999/2000; data on the domicile of students taking out fixed rate mortgage style loans (normally those who entered higher education before 1998/99) is not available because applications are made through their education institution.
The available information on students taking out income contingent loans is shown in the table:
| Academic year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Domicile(60) | 1999/2000 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 |
| North West(61),(62) | 3,130 | 3,090 | 3,130 |
| Merseyside(62),(63) | 3,110 | 3,060 | 3,100 |
| St. Helens(62) | 3,030 | 3,000 | 3,040 |
| England | 3,180 | 3,160 | 3,190 |
(57) New student support arrangements were introduced from academic year 1998/99. 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. The ratio of support for mandatory award holders, i.e. those who entered higher education up to 1997/98, was roughly 50 per cent. means-tested grant and 50 per cent. non means-tested loan repayable on a mortgage style basis.
(58) Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10.
(59) Excludes the fixed rate loan (£500) for eligible part-time students, introduced in September 2000.
(60) From academic year 1999/2000, student support students apply to their Local Education Authority for assessment of their eligibility for student support, including student loans, irrespective of their place of study. Mandatory award holders, i.e. those eligible for mortgage style loans, continue to make applications for student loans through their education institution.
(61) The North West Government Office Region.
(62) Data at a level below England have been taken from available data and may include a small number of loans which have been authorised for payment but not paid: England data are only those loans actually paid.
(63) Merseyside includes Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens and Wirral Local Education Authorities.
Source:
Student Loans Company
| Academic year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Domicile(66) | 1999/2000 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 |
| England | 1,470 | 1,460 | 1,520 |
(64) New student support arrangements were introduced from academic year 1998/99. 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. The ratio of support for mandatory award holders, i.e. those who entered higher education up to 1997/98, was roughly 50 per cent. means-tested grant and 50 per cent. non means-tested loan repayable on a mortgage style basis.
(65) Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10
(66) From academic year 1999/2000, student support students apply to their Local Education Authority for assessment of their eligibility for student support, including student loans, irrespective of their place of study. Mandatory award holders, i.e. those eligible for mortgage style loans, continue to make applications for student loans through their education institution.
Source:
Student Loans Company
17 Nov 2003 : Column 557W
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average size of (a) grants, (b) student loans and (c) the debt acquired to enable students to finance higher education has been in each year since 1997. [138043]
Alan Johnson: The support arrangements under the mandatory awards scheme for eligible undergraduate students domiciled in England and Wales on courses which began before 1 September 1998 consisted of payment, usually in full, of their tuition fees, a grant towards their maintenance, depending on income, and a non-income assessed loan. New students in academic year 1998/99, with a few exceptions, were expected to contribute up to £1,000 a year towards the cost of their tuition depending on family income. In 1998/99, income-assessed grants on average only formed about a quarter of the support available and all students were entitled to a non income-assessed loan which comprised the remaining three quarters of support available and which will be repayable on an income contingent basis. New entrants to higher education from 1999/2000, together with those who started in 1998/99, received support for living costs solely through loans which are partly income-assessed. Grants for living costs are no longer available except for some limited allowances, e.g. for students with dependants; students who require assistance with travel, books and equipment; lone parent students; students leaving care; students with dependant children who are eligible for school meals grants; and disabled students.
The overall maintenance grant and student loan is shown in the table.
(67) Rounded to the nearest £10.
(68) Averages relate to the amount of loan taken out in that academic year; excludes hardship loans and the fixed rate (£500) loans for part-time students.
(69) Students who entered higher education from 1998/99. These students are eligible for student loans repayable on an income contingent basis.
(70) Students who entered higher education up to those who entered in 1998/99 to whom the existing arrangements still1997/98 and applied. These students are eligible for non means-tested loans repayable on a mortgage style, fixed term, basis.
(71) New students in 1998/99 received support for maintenance through income-assessed grants(comprising about a quarter of the support available) and non income-assessed student loans (comprising about three quarters of the support available).
(72) From 1999/2000, students who entered higher education from 1998/99 onwards received support for maintenance through loans, of which approximately three quarters of the value was non income-assessed.
(73) Data on maintenance expenditure for student support scheme students from 1999/2000 relates to additional allowances/grants available to eligible students for extra help depending on their circumstances, e.g. students with disabilities, students with dependents, single parent students, those incurring certain travel costs, and those who have recently left care.
(74) Data are for UK.
n/a = not applicable
Source:
Form F503G survey of local education authorities on student support and Student Loans Company
17 Nov 2003 : Column 558W
The Department does not collect annual data for HE students' total debt on graduation (including bank loans, overdrafts, credit cards, and informal debts to family and friends). The Student Income and Expenditure Survey (SIES), which collects this information is undertaken every three to four years. Findings from the last survey in 1998/99 showed that the average total anticipated debt of all full-time students graduating in 1998/99 was £3,462. The Department has conducted a SIES for the 2002/03 academic year which will be published shortly.
Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what targets (a) his Department and (b) the Student Loans Company have for delivering loan payments; and what assessment he has made of whether these targets have been met. [138669]
Alan Johnson: We set performance targets for the Student Loans Company each year. The latest figures on performance against targets are for 2001–02. The 2001–02 targets for delivering mortgage style and income contingent loan payments to students were that the Company should pay 100 per cent. of loan payments within 17 days of receiving an actionable application form. For mortgage style loans, 99 per cent. payments were made within that timescale; for income contingent
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loans, 98.5 per cent. payments were made within the timescale. Figures showing performance against targets for 2002–03 will be available shortly.
Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) new students and (b) continuing students received their loans within (i) two weeks, (ii) one to two months, (iii) two to three months and (iv) four to five months of sending their applications for academic year 2003–04. [138670]
Alan Johnson: The information is not available in the requested format. All students who applied by the published deadlines with the correct information have now been paid.
Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what provisions are in place to support students awaiting loan payments. [138671]
Alan Johnson: The Hardship/Access to Learning Fund is made available to institutions with HE students to provide discretionary financial help for both full and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students. Students can receive an emergency short-term loan from the Fund, where their first loan payment has been delayed beyond the start of term.
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