Maintenance Grants: Retention

Oral Answers to Questions — Employment and Learning – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 3:00 pm on 30 November 2015.

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Photo of Sean Lynch Sean Lynch Sinn Féin 3:00, 30 November 2015

T3. Mr Lynch asked the Minister for Employment and Learning whether he is minded to retain maintenance grants. (AQT 3213/11-16)

Photo of Stephen Farry Stephen Farry Alliance

At this stage, there are no plans to change the situation with maintenance grants and, even if there were, there would be a lead-in time to bring secondary legislation through the Assembly. I think that it is important that maintenance grants stay in place. They are important to help widen access. Scotland, which I visited last week, has moved to funding maintenance more through loans than grants. There are ongoing debates about how well they are doing in widening participation. Obviously, the UK Government have proposed the removal of maintenance grants in England. Exactly what that works out as in negative Barnett consequentials for Northern Ireland remains to be seen, but the decision on whether to keep maintenance grants in Northern Ireland will be taken by the Executive collectively. My working assumption is that people will want to continue the status quo because that is more in keeping with the particular circumstances in which we find ourselves in Northern Ireland.

Photo of Sean Lynch Sean Lynch Sinn Féin

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an fhreagra sin. I acknowledge what the Minister has said about the importance of maintenance grants. Would he say that they are vital in supporting students from less well-off areas in further and higher education?

Photo of Stephen Farry Stephen Farry Alliance

Yes, that is very much the logic as to why they are there and for the commitment to them. Resources have been tight over the past number of years as part of the wider tuition fees settlement, and we have not had the same opportunity to invest in maintenance because the resources have simply not been there. However, maintenance grants are an important tool in their own right for ensuring that we attract people from a range of backgrounds into higher education. It is crucial for the future of our economy that the ability to pay is not seen as a barrier to participation in higher education. Access to higher education should be based on merit and on people's ability to learn and to gain from the experience.