- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out research into the impact of abolishing the graduate endowment on the number of students from other EU countries applying to study at Scottish universities.
Answer
The Scottish Governmenthas no plans to carry out specific research into the impact of abolishing the graduateendowment fee on the number of students from other EU countries applying to studyat Scottish universities.
If the graduate endowmentfee is abolished by Parliament, we will continue to monitor the number of studentsfrom other EU countries who apply to study in Scotland and any other impacts the abolition of the fee may have.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has budgeted for the provision of discretionary funds and young students’ bursaries, including provision for inflation, rising student numbers and the ability to increase those funds in the future, given the loss of income that will result from abolishing the graduate endowment.
Answer
The abolition of thegraduate endowment fee will have no impact on the provision of discretionary fundsand young students’ bursary as the budgets for these funds are not directly relatedto graduate endowment income.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the amounts of the Young Students’ Bursary available at each level of family income for students domiciled in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Governmenthas no specific plans to increase the amounts of the Young Students’ Bursary. TheYoung Students’ Bursary will continue to be increased in line with inflation.
I am continuing toprogress plans to replace loans with means tested grants and plan to consult onthis next year.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will conclude its work to take forward proposals for writing off the student loan debt of students and graduates domiciled in Scotland.
Answer
I am continuing towork with officials on proposals to remove burden of student debt for Scottish domiciledand resident borrowers.
As set out in The Government’s Programme for Scotland, the next stage of this work will be to issue a consultationpaper next year on our student support policies, including measures to tackle graduatedebt.
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/09/05093403/0.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is conducting its consultation on its plans to replace student loans with means-tested grants.
Answer
I am still consideringthe full details of how this consultation will proceed. Current plans are to issuea consultation paper next year. During the consultation period my officials willlook to engage with a wide range of stakeholders on the issues raised.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will conclude its work to take forward proposals for replacing student loans with means-tested grants for students domiciled in Scotland.
Answer
I am continuing towork with officials on proposals to replace student loans with means-tested grantsfor students domiciled in Scotland.
As set out in TheGovernment’s Programme for Scotland, the next stage of this work will be to issuea consultation paper next year on our student support policies, including measuresto tackle graduate debt.
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/09/05093403/0.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra places will be created at universities and colleges for students from poorer backgrounds as a result of its policy to abolish loan debt for Scottish students and those graduates who have not yet repaid their loans.
Answer
This Scottish Governmentdoes not plan to increase the number of funded places as a result of its policyto abolish loan debt for Scottish students. There is currently capacity within theexisting number of funded places to absorb anticipated increases. Creation of anyadditional funded places for higher education institutions will be dependent onthe outcome of the comprehensive spending review.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive which stakeholders are being consulted on its plans to replace student loans with means-tested grants.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentwill consult with a wide range of stakeholders on its plans to replace student loanswith means tested grants, in particular we will seek responses from those stakeholderswho represent students and institutions.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current outstanding student loan debt is of students and graduates domiciled in Scotland.
Answer
The total outstandingstudent loan debt for Scottish borrowers at the 31 March 2007 was £1,953,784,457. This figure is made up of £1,845,726,000of debt held by the Scottish Government and £108,058,457 of sold debt by privatesector institutions. These figures are based on the domicile of students when theytake out their loans. It is not currently possible to identify where graduates aredomiciled.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many students were in higher education in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2006-07.
Answer
The number of students inhigher education at Scottish institutions, excluding the Open University in Scotland,were (a) 276,705 in 2004-05 and (b) 285,180 in 2005-06. The figures for (c)2006-07 are not yet available.
