Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answergiven to S2W-8561 answered 15 July 2004 which is on the parliament’s website, searchfacility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

National Services Division (NSD)submitted a response to Greater Glasgow NHS Board on the proposals set out in "ModernisingMaternity Services". NSD would be involved in thedetailed planning and implementation of any reconfiguration of national servicescurrently provided at the Queen Mother's Hospital and the Royal Hospital forSick Children.

I refer the member to the answergiven to S2W-8561 answered 15 July 2004 which is on the Parliament’s website , the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa

I refer the member to the answergiven to S2W-08561 answered 15 July 2004 which is on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-8561 answered 15 July 2004.which is on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be foundat http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I am considering this submissionalong with all other information available to me and all representations made tome.

There is no payment threshold for the graduate endowment.

Liable graduates must pay the endowment on 1 April following graduation but may meet their liability by adding the amount to their student loan. There is a partnership agreement commitment to support a UK-wide increase to the repayment threshold for student loans.

The graduate endowment is part of the package of improved student support introduced in 2001-02 which includes bursaries for young students from low-income families. The first graduates liable to pay the endowment will complete courses this year and make their payments on 1 April next year. While we will continue to monitor participation in higher education in the light of the new support arrangements it is too early to begin to evaluate the effects of the graduate endowment.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) is committed to achieving its target of transferring its housing stock through second stage transfers into community ownership. Seventeen housing associations have expressed an interest in being part of a prototype programme to be progressed during 2004-05. GHA is currently working with the local housing organisations and other stakeholders, including Communities Scotland, to agree the overall guidance and framework for second stage transfers and Communities Scotland will be responsible for monitoring GHA’s progress with this.

The Executive is committed to ensuring that everyone has the chance to learn regardless of their background or current personal circumstances.

In support of our policy of widening participation in further and higher education, the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council have put in place a range of measures designed to maximise participation. These include, help with fees for part-time students, child care funding, extra funding to colleges and higher education institutions to support students with learning difficulties or disabilities, extra funding for further education colleges who operate in remote or island areas of Scotland and a social inclusion premium to help colleges and higher education institutions attract and retain students from the most disadvantaged areas.

In addition the Scottish Executive in 2000 introduced free tuition for eligible Scottish domiciled students studying in Scotland and since 2001-02 have provided bursaries to young students from low income families to reduce the amount of debt they accrue during their studies.

Information on the full range of wider access grants can be found in the respective main grant letters to the HE and FE sectors. These are available at:

http://www.sfefc.ac.uk/library/fe1604 and http://www.shefc.ac.uk/library/he1004.

The councils are undertaking a root and branch review of widening access to both further and higher education which will report by the end of the year. This is being chaired by Professor Jim McGoldrick, a member of SHEFC. This group has membership from the HE sector, the FE sector, the NUS, Scottish Enterprise, and a local authority director of education.