Chamber
Plenary, 28 Oct 2009
28 Oct 2009 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Student Support
We have increased the hardship funds in response to the demands that were being placed on them. The fact that there has been an increase of 17 per cent in the available hardship funds under the current Administration is evidence of that. If any member or constituent has concerns about the response that they are getting about hardship funds, they should please let us know. However, the hardship and discretionary funds are not a guaranteed source of income; they are discretionary and are for the universities to deploy. Nevertheless, we will respond in a timely way to any request that is made in that regard.
The experience is perhaps different in different universities. Pauline McNeill is correct to say that, last year, the bursaries and hardship funds in a number of universities and colleges ran dry and were swiftly supplemented by additional income from the Scottish funding council. However, other institutions did not apply because there was no demand for the funds.
There is a difference between institutions in the distribution of hardship funds. As I explained to the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee this morning, that is perhaps because of the experience that has been built up over a number of years. However, we are in a volatile situation just now and more women with dependants are entering higher education, so the system must be responsive.
A number of institutions throughout Scotland did not have to apply for additional hardship and discretionary funding, but I am aware of all the concerns that people are raising. As of now, the Scottish funding council is working with colleges and universities to see what pressures are arising this year. Last year, it responded within three weeks of concerns being voiced. The funding council is ensuring that it can respond but, until we know what the demand is, it is difficult for it to respond.
The experience is perhaps different in different universities. Pauline McNeill is correct to say that, last year, the bursaries and hardship funds in a number of universities and colleges ran dry and were swiftly supplemented by additional income from the Scottish funding council. However, other institutions did not apply because there was no demand for the funds.
There is a difference between institutions in the distribution of hardship funds. As I explained to the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee this morning, that is perhaps because of the experience that has been built up over a number of years. However, we are in a volatile situation just now and more women with dependants are entering higher education, so the system must be responsive.
A number of institutions throughout Scotland did not have to apply for additional hardship and discretionary funding, but I am aware of all the concerns that people are raising. As of now, the Scottish funding council is working with colleges and universities to see what pressures are arising this year. Last year, it responded within three weeks of concerns being voiced. The funding council is ensuring that it can respond but, until we know what the demand is, it is difficult for it to respond.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan):
SNP
The next item of business is a statement by Fiona Hyslop on student support.
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (Fiona Hyslop):
SNP
I welcome this opportunity to make a statement to the Parliament announcing the decisions that I have reached on how the Scottish Government intends to impro...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
The cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement.
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab):
Lab
I thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of her statement.Although I wish to welcome the statement, it must be acknowledged that it is because of t...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
One of the issues for a minority Government is responding to the views of other parties. Following the instructions that we had on 21 May, that is exactly wh...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for advance sight of her statement. The £30 million on offer for student support is, indeed, welcome, although it of course fal...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
This Administration has increased the university funding share of the overall budget to 3.87 per cent in 2010-11, compared with the position inherited from t...
Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
LD
I thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of her statement.For many months, the shared goal of the Liberal Democrats, the Labour Party, the Conserva...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
The member makes an important point about the £2 million child care fund, on which we will obviously make progress as soon as possible. However, she must rec...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
If we can have short, focused questions, I will be able to get everyone in.
Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
The SNP Government came to power with the principle that access to education should be based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay. Today, Labour c...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
It is recognised that tuition fees have not been welcomed in Scotland. Indeed, the abolition of the back-end tuition fee through the abolition of the graduat...
Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab):
Lab
Like others, I welcome the cabinet secretary's announcement. I am pleased that she has responded to representations from Opposition parties and the NUS and w...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
The independent universities and colleges are responsible for their own funding streams but, as Karen Whitefield will be aware, the Scottish Further and High...
Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
Page 9 of the cabinet secretary's statement says that she accepts "that the system of student grants and loans should now be examined more closely, to see wh...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
Although we are investing an additional £30 million for 2010-11, Elizabeth Smith will be aware that we are moving into a new spending review period and that ...
Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
The minister is aware that Scottish students who study courses in England that are unavailable in Scotland are hit not only because they have to pay tuition ...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
Mike Rumbles has pursued the issue previously. Loans are available to help Scottish students to fulfil the tuition fee obligations that they have in England....
Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
What are the principles behind supporting independent students, who are a group that has never previously had direct financial support? What benefits will su...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
As I mentioned, the UCAS figures show that the number of independent students going to university reduced in previous years but has now increased. Financial ...
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab):
Lab
I, too, thank the cabinet secretary for her statement, although I do not fully understand why it has taken more than a year to agree on the distribution of a...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
Ken Macintosh perhaps misunderstood the comments that were made at the committee this morning—£30 million has been earmarked for student support from the sta...
Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
As the cabinet secretary said, we are now in the worst recession for a generation. Can she detail and confirm the support available to the universities and c...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
The announcement today is about support for individual students, but in the university sector we have already introduced measures such as the ILA 500, which ...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Lab
I, too, welcome the minister's statement, particularly with regard to the progress that has been made on support for poorer students. Further to Karen Whitef...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
We have increased the hardship funds in response to the demands that were being placed on them. The fact that there has been an increase of 17 per cent in th...