Williams Condemns Student Grant Delays

9.36.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 14th Oct 2009

Delays in experienced by over a 100,000 students in receiving their student grants have been condemned by Stephen Williams, Lib Dem Shadow Secretary of State for Innovations, Universities and Skills. The worst effected were first years, where 28% of new arrivals at university had not received their grant, forcing all universities to give emergency loans.

Speaking the House of Commons opposition debate on higher education he said the the Student Loans Company should have been much better prepared for the transfer of responsibility for the processing of student grants from local councils to themselves. the SLC had given MPs and the National Union of Students assurances in 2006 that they would be geared up for this important responsibility.

Stephen pointed out to the House of Commons that the SLC had also failed to realise that there would be a big increase in applications to university in 2009 due to a bulge in the teenage population and older people taking shelter from the recession.

he pointed out that this is just the latest in a long line of government and government agencies changes in higher and further education in the last year. Earlier this summer over 100,000 students were left without a university place despite passing their A Levels.