The reckonable income limits, for the purpose of the award of a maintenance grant in respect of the 2001-02 academic year are not as yet available.
The practice of recent years has been to increase the reckonable income limits at least in line with movements in the average industrial wage and to increase third level maintenance grants at least in line with inflation.
I announced late last year that I was setting up a special project team to carry out a comprehensive review of every aspect of the maintenance grants and other student supports to ensure their relevance to the needs of present day third level students. This review, which is at present in progress, is wide ranging and covers many topics. These include the level of grants, the methods by which they are paid, eligibility and income limits, accommodation needs, student support services, the most suitable paying agency, the provision of an appeals system, student loans and taxation.
Some of these topics are, of their nature, complex and require detailed research. For example, costings of the effect of changes in the income limits below which applicants become eligible for a grant have been commissioned and carried out for the special review. Notwithstanding this, however, I expect that the review will be completed in the near future.
Issues relating to the implementation of the team's recommendations will be addressed when its report has been completed.