asked the Minister for Education the cost this year and in a full year of increasing the annual maximum maintenance grant under the Higher Education Grants Scheme to £1,000 in the case of students living away from university towns.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Higher Education Grants Scheme.
24.
It is not feasible from the information available in my Department in relation to the home addresses of students to segregate the costs of grants as between students living away from university towns and those living adjacent to such towns.
The estimated total costs (i) in 1981 and (ii) in respect of the academic year 1981-2 of raising the maximum value of the grant under the Higher Education Grant Scheme from £600 to £1,000 in the case of students living away from university towns and of making a corresponding adjustment from £200 to £400 in the case of students whose homes are in or adjacent to university towns are as follows: (i) £515,000; (ii) £1,545,000.
In view of the wailing we had yesterday from the Minister for the Environment about the lack of finance, is the Minister satisfied that the necessary moneys will be available to him for the purpose of these changes?
I have announced already the introduction of these grants in respect of the coming academic year. By special arrangement the Central Applications Office have reopened applications for a limited period—until July 21—and the scheme will be put into operation in respect of the coming academic year.
In the figures he has given has the Minister taken into account the changes that I made in the academic requirements in the technological area? Are they included in the global figure he has given?
The full cost of including the changes referred to by the Deputy will represent only a very minor aspect of the increased cost.
Would the Minister like to state on what basis he has made the computation he has just given us? At the beginning of his answer he indicated certain difficulties, so it would be helpful if he would indicate the basis on which he made the computation he has just given to the House.
The difficulty I referred to relates to the fact that there is no official statistical data available in the Department which would indicate which students live near to or which live far from university towns. The Deputy will be aware that the claims in respect of these grants are made by the local authorities in bulk form to the Department. That was the difficulty in endeavouring to segregate for the Deputy the difference as between the higher and lower rates of grants. The figures have been compiled on the basis of estimating the number of students who are currently in receipt of maintenance grants and who will have those grants increased by two-thirds as a result of the changes I have announced.
Will the £515,000 that has been mentioned be payable in 1981 or will the refund be made in 1982? Perhaps the Minister would indicate also whether this amount is in addition to £3,600 million that is allocated in the Book of Estimates?
I have explained to the Deputy that the estimated total costs of raising the maximum value of the grants is estimated in respect of 1981 at £515,000. That is the estimated total cost of raising the grant in 1981. As the Deputy will be aware, the grants are recoupable to the local authorities in the following financial year. I would have some difficulty in endeavouring to be exact about the information the Deputy was trying to receive having regard to the manner in which the questions are worded but I have endeavoured to give the maximum possible information to him in so far as I can interpret the purpose of his questions.
On what basis does the Minister conclude that the changes in academic requirements for the technological students will mean that very few students will be able to avail of that?
What I said was that, in the overall context of the increased cost of the implementation of the various changes which I announced, the extra financial cost of the changes in academic qualifications in the technological area announced by the previous Minister will represent only a small amount of the total increase.
How much?
Perhaps the Deputy would like to put down a question in that regard.
Does the Minister know the amount and, if he does not know, how can he make the statement that he has just made?
That does not form part of the subject matter of the question.
25.
asked the Minister for Education the cost under the Higher Education Grants Scheme this year and in a full year of paying a fee and maintenance grant to all students from families with an income up to £8,000 a year and of paying fees in the case of families with an income of up to £9,000 a year.
The estimated cost (i) in 1981 and (ii) in respect of the academic year 1981-2 under the Higher Education Grants Scheme, in accordance with the revised rates of grant in respect of maintenance and fee to students from families with an income up to £8,000 a year, and in respect of fees in the case of families up to £9,000, a year are as follows; (i) £5.073 million, (ii) £6.37 million.
These costs are inclusive of the cost of the grants on the basis of the conditions which, applied in 1980-81. This cost is estimated at £3,425 million in 1981 which is recoupable to the local authorities in respect of the 1980 financial year.
Having regard to the figures given, would I be right in thinking that the Minister does not expect very many additional grant holders to benefit?
The Deputy would not be correct in assuming that.
The figures seem to indicate it.
26.
asked the Minister for Education the cost under the Higher Education Grants Scheme this year and in a full year of increasing in the case of larger families the income limit for fees and maintenance grants to £12,000 a year and of paying fees in such cases up to an income limit of £14,000 per year.
The estimated costs (i) in 1981 and (ii) in respect of the academic year 1981/82 under the Higher Education Grants Scheme in accordance with the revised rates of grant in respect of maintenance and fees to students for families with an income limit up to £12,000 a year, and in respect of fees in the case of families up to £14,000 a year are as follows:— (i) £5.238 million, (ii) £6.642 million.
These costs are inclusive of the cost of the grants on the basis of the conditions which applied in 1980-81. This cost is estimated at £3.425 in 1981 which is recoupable to the local authorities in respect of the 1980 financial year.
In the second figure does the Minister include the first figure?
I presume that the Deputy in referring to the first figure is referring to the figures which I gave in reply to question No. 25.
No. Question No. 26. The Minister said 5.238 and 6.642. Am I right in thinking that those are the figures he has just given?
Yes.
Does 6.642 include 5.238?
No, 5.238 is the estimated cost of the scheme as revised in 1981 bearing in mind that there was already payment of grants in the earlier part of 1981. The Deputy asked the cost of fees in a full year and the figure is given for the full academic year 1981-82 which, of course, includes portion of the cost of 1981 in respect of the latter half of 1981 from the commencement of the next academic year until the end of the financial year.
Would the Minister confirm to the House that as a result of these measures which are elaborated in Questions Nos. 24, 25 and 26 there will be additional Government expenditure in this year?
Absolutely.
Would he then reconcile that for me with the stated commitment of the Government to reduce Government expenditure?
The answer to the first part of the Deputy's question is that there will be an increased cost to the Exchequer in respect of the university grants changes in 1981 of £1.1 million. Of course, there are further increases in relation to these scholarships and grants in other areas and if the Deputy wishes I can give him those figures and the total.
In the round.
The total cost in the round as announced by me last weekend is £2.35 million in respect of 1981. I imagine that this is the figure which Deputy Wilson was anxious to ascertain from his question, but it relates to a different statistic and that is the reason for the overall figure which has been given in the official reply.
This is additional Government expenditure deliberately undertaken this year.
What is the position of people who are assessed under PLV on their agricultural holdings?
In respect of students whose normal family residence is in or adjacent to a university town or whose courses are provided in an educational institution adjacent to their normal family residence the PLV is being increased to a maximum of £96 and in respect of students who would be eligible for the lecture fee grant alone the PLV is being increased to a maximum of £112. I am glad that the Deputy asked that question.
I am glad to because it was not made clear up to now.
There are three outstanding questions. Would the House agree to them being taken now?
Deputies
Yes:
For the information of Deputies I have arranged that the schedule of increases in PLV and increases in income limits will be made available to them here in the House this afternoon before they return to their constituencies.