asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to the amount of housing benefit paid to students in each of the past 10 years; what the projected figure is for the current and coming years; how many students received such payments in each year; and if he will make a statement.

The Green Paper on social security indicates the Goverment's view that it would be right in principle to return to the situation which existed before the introduction of supplementary benefit in 1966, with students being helped through the grant system, by their families, and by their own earnings in vacation. We are continuing to give consideration to how progress in this direction may most appropriately be made.