To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 22 April, Official Report, columns 314–15 on discretionary awards to higher education students, if he will give actual or estimated figures for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91.

The table shows expenditure estimated for 1989–90, on discretionary awards made by local education authorities in England and Wales, using their powers under section 1(6) of the Education Act 1962. Data relating to 1990–91 are not yet available.

Academic year	Cash expenditure £ million	At 1978–79 prices
year	expenditure £million	£ million	1Index
1989–90	11·3	4·9	59
1 1978–79=100.

Awards made under section 1(6) are made at LEAs' discretion to students attending courses designated to mandatory awards purposes who are personally ineligible for a mandatory award. The cash expenditure includes both fees and maintenance paid as part of the award. The constant price and index figures have been calculated using the retail prices index.