Chamber and committees

It is a stipulation of the current policy on Adult Dependants’ Grant that a student may only receive an Adult Dependants’ Grant in respect of a partner to whom he or she is legally married. Cohabiting students are not eligible to receive an Adult Dependants’ Grant in respect of a partner to whom they are not married.

My officials have recently begun a review of the means test arrangements which apply to the student support system. As part of this project, they will identify options to modernise the means test in order to take into account the varying structures of modern families, and to ensure the means test arrangements are both fair and equitable. This review is likely to have an impact on the eligibility for Adult Dependants’ Grant by widening the definition of the term “married couple” to include co-habiting couples and civil partnerships.

The Student Awards Agency forScotland (SAAS) is an executive agency and is therefore part of the Scottish Executive’sEnterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Group. The SAAS acts for ministers, andas such, develops its own operational guidance for the delivery of student support,including the allocation of Adult Dependants’ Grant.Policy responsibility for theAdult Dependants’ Grant and other higher education support lies with Funding forLearners Division, which is part of the Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department. Fundingfor Learners and SAAS work closely together to develop and monitor policy relatingto Higher Education student support. Further information on the work of Fundingfor Learners Division can be found online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Funding-Support-Grants/FFL/Intro.Further information on the work of SAAS is available at www.saas.gov.uk.SAAS issues the Guide to StudentSupport annually, which provides information on the support administered bySAAS, and the application process. The guide is available online at http://www.saas.gov.uk/_forms/SAS4_05_06.pdf.Hard copies of the guide can be obtained from: The Student Awards Agency for Scotland, GyleviewHouse, 3 Redheughs Rigg, Edinburgh, EH12 9HH.

My officials recently undertooka review of the student support arrangements in Scotland, which was completed inSeptember 2004. A number of areas of student support were identified for immediate,priority or medium-term action. The final report of the Funding for Learners Reviewis available online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/03/20899/55194.

Although the Dependants’ Grantwas not specifically highlighted as part of the review, one of the areas identifiedfor medium-term policy review was the modernisation of the means test for studentsupport.

Accordingly, my officials haverecently begun a review of the means test arrangements which apply to the studentsupport system. As part of this project, they will identify options to modernisethe means test in order to take into account the varying structures of modern families,and to ensure the means test arrangements are both fair and equitable. This reviewis likely to have an impact on the eligibility for Adult Dependants’ Grant by wideningthe definition of the term “married couple” to include co-habiting couples and civilpartnerships.

Changes resulting from this projectwill not impact on students before academic year 2007-08.

Figures for the number of studentsin receipt of a Dependants’ Grant in the current academic session are presentlyunavailable. The figures for the current academic session will be published in late2006.

All students in receipt of anAdult Dependants’ Grant from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland aremarried. It is a stipulation of the current policy on Adult Dependants’ Grant thata student may only receive an Adult Dependants’ Grant in respect of a partner towhom he or she is legally married.

The Scottish Executive is committedto widening access to further and higher Education, and to ensuring that everyonehas the chance to learn, irrespective of their background or personal circumstances.

Our student support arrangementsare designed to help those who need it most. In addition to providing support to help meet the costs of living whilststudying, the Scottish Executive also provides specific help to students towardsthe costs of registered child care.

At further education level, studentscan apply to their college for a discretionary bursary to help with the costs ofliving whilst studying. In addition, students with dependant children may applyfor an award from their college’s Childcare Fund. It should be noted that all fundingat further education level is provided at the discretion of the student’s collegeon a means-tested basis.

Further education colleges alsodeliver courses in a range of formats and locations to meet the needs of their communities.By delivering learning opportunities in local outreach centres at the heart of communities,providing courses on a part-time basis, with flexible timetables and the provisionof childcare, students are helped to fit studying around their other commitments.

At higher education level, loneparent students studying on a full-time basis may apply for a Lone Parents’ Grantof up to £1,180 per year (2005-06 figure) and a Lone Parents’ Childcare Grant ofup to £1,100 per year (2005-06 figure) from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.Full-time student parents may also apply for a discretionary award from their institution’sChildcare Fund.

In addition, since 1999, 1,700full-time equivalent part-time undergraduate places have been funded through the Scottish Funding Council. This is a practical means of widening participation particularlyfor students with child care responsibilities.

All eligible students studyingat further education level can apply to their college for a discretionary bursaryto help meet the costs of living whilst studying. Eligible students studying atHigher Education level may apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)for a student loan to help with living costs.

In addition, the Scottish Executiveoffers a range of support to mature students with dependants. At furthereducation level, mature students with a financial, care or legal responsibilityfor a dependant adult can apply for a Dependants’ Allowance of £46.02 per week (2005-06figure) from their college. Mature students with dependant children may also applyfor an award from their college’s Childcare Fund. It should be noted that all fundingat further education level is provided at the discretion of the student’s collegeon a means-tested basis.

At higher education level, maturestudents can claim an Adult Dependants’ Grant of up to £2,395 per year (2005-06figure) from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland for a dependant partnerto whom they are legally married. Lone parent students studying on a full-time basismay also apply for a Lone Parents’ Grant of up to £1,180 per year (2005-06 figure)and a Lone Parents’ Childcare Grant of up to £1,100 per year (2005-06 figure) fromthe Students Awards Agency for Scotland. Full-time student parents may also applyfor a discretionary award from their institution’s Childcare Fund.

An Action Plan for ImprovingOral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotlandcontains a number of measures aimed at increasing the dental workforce.

At 31 March 2005, 66% of childrenwere registered with a NHS general dental practitioner. We are implementing newschemes to promote registration and associated preventative activity for childrenfrom birth. We are creating financial incentives for dentists who treat all categoriesof patients, including children.

We are investing £295 millionover the next three years in NHS dental services, the vast majority of which willgo towards primary care dental services. Over this period £29 million will be providedto support improvements to oral health.

Scotland has one of the most extensive oral hygiene educationand training plans for children anywhere in Europe. This education and trainingplan is already extensive but will move towards comprehensive coverage of childrenin Scotland by 2008, under the action plan announced earlier thisyear, we are investing sums of £4 million, £10 million and £15 million over thisand the next two financial years in the oral health aspects of the action plan.