To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it uses to determine the level of funding that it will provide each year under the mature students’ bursary scheme.

The overall level of funding is based on the proportion of the student population expected to be eligible for support under Mature Students Bursary Fund (MSBF). Funds are redistributed from the Hardship Funds on the basis of the proportion of the higher education student population in universities and colleges which started courses since 2001-02. Allocations are then made to each institution on the basis of the proportion of their student population which is assessed by the Student Awards Agency as being independent of parental contribution or which receives a supplementary allowance in respect of their having dependent children or of their being a lone parent. Each of these three criteria is given equal weight.

An additional allocation is made to provide each institution with a contribution towards the costs of administering and publicising the bursary. Each receives a basic amount (£750 in the current year) with the balance of the total (£200,000 in the current year) allocated to each based on the size of their MSBF allocation.