- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 29 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned, or plans to commission, into the effects on students' academic performance of also being in employment and whether it will detail the results of any such analysis and research.
Answer
A wide range of factors, including financial ones, will affect an individual’s academic performance. We do not have any current plans to commission, research into the effects of being in employment on students' academic performance. As the member will be aware there are a new set of financial support arrangements being introduced.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 29 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether student loans are a disincentive to potential students from less affluent backgrounds from entering further and higher education.
Answer
Student loans apply only in higher education. Support for further education is provided in the form of bursary.As part of the new student support arrangements introduced from this academic year, young students entering full-time higher education in Scotland from less affluent backgrounds receive up to £2,000 of their annual support entitlement in the form of a non-repayable Young Students Bursary. New entrant mature students may also be able to receive non-repayable support of up to £2,000 a year from the Mature Students Bursary Fund, in addition to their loan support, at the discretion of their institutions.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 28 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating units had been installed under its central heating installation programme at 31 December 2001.
Answer
Eaga had installed 289 central heating systems in the private sector. They are on target to install over 3,500 systems by 31 March 2002. Information is currently being collected from the social rented sector landlords, but indications show that they will have installed around 6,400 central heating systems by 31 March 2002.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the imposition of tuition fees on students had on the economy.
Answer
Tuition fees were abolished for eligible Scottish domiciled and EU students studying in Scotland from academic year 2000-01. I am not aware of any research into the impact of student contributions to fees in the period 1998-99 to 1999-2000.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact student poverty and student debt have on the economy.
Answer
I am not aware of any research into the impact of student income levels and student debt on the Scottish economy.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether student loans are a disincentive to potential students from ethnic minority backgrounds from entering further and higher education.
Answer
Student loans apply only in higher education.There are a wide variety of reasons why individuals choose whether or not to enter further or higher education.Information on student numbers by ethnicity in further and higher education over the last five years can be found in the Standard Tables on Higher Education and Further Education in Scotland, published by the Scottish Executive under National Statistics in June 2001.Copies are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 18496) or on the Scottish Executive website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00086-00.aspThese figures show an increase in the number of ethnic minority students in Scotland over the period covered.I am aware that there are some individuals who are not prepared to borrow money on the grounds of religious belief.Support for students in further education is in the form of a bursary.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether student loans are a disincentive to female students from entering further and higher education.
Answer
Student loans apply only in higher education.There are a wide variety of reasons why individuals choose whether or not to enter further or higher education.Information on student numbers by gender in further and higher education over the last five years can be found in the Standard Tables on Higher Education and Further Education in Scotland, published by the Scottish Executive under National Statistics in June 2001.Copies are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 18496) or on the Scottish Executive website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00086-00.aspThese figures show an increase in the number of female students in Scotland over the period covered.Support for students in further education is given in the form of a bursary.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether student loans are a disincentive to mature students from entering further and higher education.
Answer
Support for students in further education is given the form of bursary. Student loans apply only in higher education.There are a wide variety of reasons why individuals choose whether or not to enter further or higher education.Information on student numbers by age in further and higher education over the last five years can be found in the Standard Tables on Higher Education and Further Education in Scotland, published by the Scottish Executive under National Statistics in June 2001.Copies are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 18496) or on the Scottish Executive website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00086-00.aspThese figures show an increase in the number of mature students in Scotland over the period covered.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any research it has commissioned into the rates of non-completion of courses by students.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question on 18 January 2002.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost of reinstating student grants would be.
Answer
The Executive has already introduced bursaries of up to £2,000 a year for new entrant young students in full-time higher education in Scotland. These have been available since August 2001. The cost of substituting non-repayable grants for the remaining student loan support currently provided to Scottish domiciled students is estimated to be approximately £115 million per annum at 2001-02 prices. This figure excludes any assessment on the consequences for the Student Awards Agency for Scotland and the Student Loans Company of implementing any such change.
