asked the Minister for Education if she will publish guidelines on the way in which local authority officials should interpret the requirement of her circular of 7 October 1988 requesting a more rigorous examination of income accounts of parents of higher education grant applicants if these accounts are inconsistent with the assets and lifestyle of the parents; if this applies in respect of all categories of applicant; the number of assets to be valued for the purpose of this circular; if all assets are included or just real property; and the way in which the officials concerned are expected to gather the necessary information on lifestyle.
Written Answers. - Higher Education Grant Applicants.
61.
The paragraph in the circular letter of 7 October 1988 to which the Deputy refers states as follows:
where the reckonable income declared appears to be inconsistent with the assets or general lifestyle of the applicant Local Authorities may wish to carry out a more detailed and rigorous examination of the case with a view to satisfying themselves that award of grant is justified.
Clause 2 (c) (ii) of the higher education grants scheme provides that in
making a declaration of reckonable income, the candidate or the candidate's parents or guardians shall submit to the Local Authority such information, together with authorities and documentation and make such declaration as may be required by it to determine the amount of reckonable income and the number of dependent children.
The administration of the scheme is statutorily entrusted to local authorities and it is a matter for local authorities to determine what documentation they require to satisfy themselves about candidates' means and in what cases they may wish to carry out a more detailed and rigorous examination. In general, local authorities might wish to explore a case in greater detail on the basis of information made available to them.
The circular in question was framed pursuant to clause 2 (c) (iv) of the higher education grants scheme with particular regard to candidates whose reckonable income is determined, in whole or in part, on the basis of accounts. However, that does not preclude local authorities from investigating any case where, on the basis of the information supplied, there appears to be an inconsistency between assets/lifestyle and reckonable income declared by the applicant.
Local authority officials may collect the information they require directly from the applicant or from other services (e.g. banks) for which they have obtained, under clause 2 (c) (iv) the appropriate authorities.