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Education Maintenance Allowance

Volume 470: debated on Monday 7 January 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what the cost of the education maintenance allowance has been in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government region since its introduction; and if he will make a statement; (162216)

(2) what percentage of applications for an education maintenance allowance have been successful in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government office region; and if he will make a statement;

(3) what percentage of 16 to 19 year olds in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government region have received the (i) £10, (ii) £20 and (iii) £30 education maintenance allowance; and if he will make a statement;

(4) how many people in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government region have applied for an education maintenance allowance; and if he will make a statement;

(5) what percentage of 16 to 19 year olds in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government region have applied for an education maintenance allowance; and if he will make a statement;

(6) how many people in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government region have received the (i) £10, (ii) £20 and (iii) £30 education maintenance allowance; and if he will make a statement.

These are all matters for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and hold the information about take-up and payments under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the Council’s Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 22 November 2007:

I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Questions that asked:

1. What the cost of the education maintenance allowance has been in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government region since its introduction.

2. What percentage of applications for an education maintenance allowance have been successful in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government office region.

3. What percentage of 16 to 19 year olds in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government region have received the (i) £10, (ii) £20 and (iii) £30 education maintenance allowance.

4. How many people in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government region have applied for an education maintenance allowance.

5. What percentage of 16 to 19 year olds in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government region have applied for an education maintenance allowance.

6. How many people in each (a) London constituency, (b) London borough and (c) Government region have received the (i) £10, (ii) £20 and (iii) £30 education maintenance allowance.

Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at national and Local Authority Level, but not at constituency level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.

We do not hold population data for 19 year olds so the figures shown in the tables below are based on 16-18 year old data.

Information on cost is only available at a national level. EMA payments to learners during academic year 2006/2007 totalled £483 million.

The following tables show the information requested which relates to EMA applications for London LSC area, London Local Authority area and LSC Regions during the academic year 2006/07.

Application data, LSC/local authority, 2006/07

Number of young people who applied for an EMA

Percentage of the 16 to 18-year-old population who applied for EMA

Percentage of applications received that were successful

England

569,066

28.4

97.6

East Midlands

48,343

27.7

97.6

East of England

51,549

24.0

97.5

London

90,870

33.7

97.8

North East

34,628

33.8

97.4

North West

90,436

31.9

97.8

South East

68,986

21.2

97.5

South West

52,526

26.1

98.4

West Midlands

69,713

31.6

97.5

Yorkshire and the Humber

62,015

29.7

97.6

Application data, regional, 2006/07

Number of young people who applied for an EMA

Percentage of the 16 to 18-year-old population who applied for EMA

Percentage of applications received that were successful (NOE’s issued)

London Central

17,554

36.3

98.1

Camden

2,115

30.2

98.4

Islington

2,435

42.7

98.0

Kensington and Chelsea

978

18.1

98.3

Lambeth

4,077

49.1

97.8

Southwark

3,915

46.6

98.3

Wandsworth

2,378

36.0

97.6

City of Westminster

1,656

23.7

98.4

London East

30,080

37.9

97.8

City of London

80

1

93.8

Greenwich

3,087

35.9

97.1

Hackney

3,887

49.8

98.4

Lewisham

3,634

41.3

97.7

Tower Hamlets

4,222

53.4

98.8

Barking and Dagenham

2,505

37.4

97.6

Bexley

2,069

22.5

97.2

Havering

1,918

21.3

97.1

Newham

5,543

49.5

98.0

Redbridge

3,135

31.0

97.6

London North

14,072

36.2

97.7

Barnet

3,137

26.6

97.5

Enfield

3,870

35.5

97.4

Haringey

3,716

47.0

98.1

Waltham Forest

3,349

40.3

97.7

London South

11,806

23.8

97.8

Bromley

2,273

20.3

98.5

Croydon

4,230

31.1

97.6

Kingston upon Thames

989

17.4

97.6

Merton

1,898

29.7

97.2

Richmond upon Thames

891

15.4

98.4

Sutton

1,525

21.8

98.2

London West

17,358

32.4

97.5

Hammersmith and Fulham

1,777

34.8

97.7

Brent

4,131

40.9

97.7

Ealing

3,767

35.2

97.4

Harrow

2,527

26.9

97.3

Hillingdon

2,464

23.9

97.4

Hounslow

2,692

33.7

97.2

1 No population data.

The following table shows the information requested which relates to EMA take-up for London LSC area, London Local Authority area and LSC Regions during the academic year 2006/07.

Take-up data split by payment band, LSC/local authority, 2006/07

Number of learners who received the £30 EMA

Percentage of the 16 to 18-year-old population who received the £30 EMA

Number of learners who received the £20 EMA

Percentage of the 16 to 18-year-old population who received the £20 EMA

Number of learners who received the £10 EMA

Percentage of the 16 to 18-year-old population who received the £10 EMA

England

423,839

21.2

51,195

2.6

45,249

2.3

East Midlands

34,936

20.01

4,957

2.8

4,428

2.5

East of England

37,121

17.31

5,320

2.5

4,766

2.2

London

71,869

26.63

6,006

2.2

4,522

1.7

North East

26,044

25.43

2,976

2.9

2,676

2.6

North West

68,985

24.34

7,485

2.6

6,502

2.3

South East

49,885

15.31

7,051

2.2

6,224

1.9

South West

37,678

18.75

5,489

2.7

5,131

2.6

West Midlands

51,370

23.27

6,411

2.9

5,747

2.6

Yorkshire and the Humber

45,951

21.99

5,500

2.6

5,253

2.5

Take-up data split by payment band, regional, 2006/07

Number of learners who received the £30 EMA

Percentage of the 16 to 18-year-old population who received the £30 EMA

Number of learners who received the £20 EMA

Percentage of the 16 to 18-year-old population who received the £20 EMA

Number of learners who received the £10 EMA

Percentage of the 16 to 18-year-old population who received the £10 EMA

London Central

14,519

30.0

957

2.0

590

1.2

Camden

1,818

26.0

94

1.3

43

0.6

Islington

2,016

35.4

104

1.8

76

1.3

Kensington and Chelsea

814

15.1

42

0.8

35

0.6

Lambeth

3,359

40.5

262

3.2

131

1.6

Southwark

3,206

38.2

225

2.7

153

1.8

Wandsworth

1,917

29.0

148

2.2

103

1.6

City of Westminster

1,389

19.8

82

1.2

49

0.7

London East

24,112

28.4

1,748

2.2

1,449

1.8

City of London

63

1

2

1

3

1

Greenwich

2,408

28.0

202

2.3

155

1.8

Hackney

3,260

41.8

171

2.2

108

14

Lewisham

2,823

14.4

258

2.9

228

2.6

Tower Hamlets

3,768

47.7

66

0.8

49

0.6

Barking and Dagenham

1,961

29.3

187

2.8

121

1.8

Bexley

1,485

16.1

210

2.3

193

2.1

Havering

1,353

15.0

179

2.0

190

2.1

Newham

4,558

40.7

264

2.4

202

1.8

Redbridge

2,433

24.1

209

2.1

200

2.0

London North

11,048

28.4

934

2.4

685

1.8

Barnet

2,423

20.5

217

1.8

176

1.5

Enfield

2,965

27.2

286

2.6

226

2.1

Haringey

3,037

38.4

202

2.6

110

1.4

Waltham Forest

2,623

31.6

229

2.8

173

2.1

London South

8,750

17.6

1,074

2.2

850

1.7

Bromley

1,661

14.8

217

1.9

176

1.6

Croydon

3,200

23.5

341

2.5

274

2.0

Kingston upon Thames

720

12.6

91

1.6

91

1.6

Merton

1,373

21.5

183

2.9

135

2.1

Richmond upon Thames

687

11.8

79

1.4

57

1.0

Sutton

1,109

15.8

163

2.3

117

1.7

London West

13,440

25.1

1,293

2.4

948

1.8

Hammersmith and Fulham

1,441

28.3

97

1.9

74

1.5

Brent

3,250

32.2

282

2.8

192

1.9

Ealing

2,973

27.8

260

2.4

188

1.8

Harrow

1,897

20.2

225

2.4

174

1.9

Hillingdon

1,852

18.0

217

2.1

145

1.4

Hounslow

2,027

25.3

212

2.7

175

2.2

1 No population data.

EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07 and to date in 2007/08 is now also available on the LSC website, at the following address:

http://www.lsc.gov.uk/providers/Data/statistics/learner/EMA_take_up.htm

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how much expenditure on education maintenance allowance (EMA) was provided to people in each local education authority in each year since the inception of the allowance; how many people of each (a) sex and (b) ethnic group have received EMA in each academic year since its inception; how many of those in receipt of EMA in each academic year went on to (i) study and (ii) complete a course at university; and what assessment has been made of those trends; (164381)

(2) what the administrative costs of the education maintenance allowance scheme were in each year since 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement.

These are matters for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, will write to the hon. Lady and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 22 November 2007:

I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Questions that asked:

1. How much expenditure on educational maintenance allowance (EMA) has been provided to people in each local education authority in each year since the inception of the allowance; how many people of each (a) sex and (b) ethnic group have received EMA in each academic year since its inception; how many of those in receipt of EMA in each academic year went on to (i) study and (ii) complete a course at university; and what assessment has been made of those figures.

2. What the administrative costs of the educational maintenance allowance scheme have been in each year since 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement.

Information relating to costs of EMA are only available at a national level. The following table shows the expenditure on EMA payments to learners by financial year since inception.

EMA student payment costs (£)

1999-2000

10,560,000.00

2000-01

49,920,000.00

2001-02

104,600,000,00

2002-03

115,200,000,00

2003-04

136,300,000,00

2004-05

217,300,000.00

2005-06

363,100,000.00

2006-07

457,100,000.00

The following table shows the information requested which relates to the administration costs of EMA by financial year:

EMA admin costs (£ million)

1999-2000

0.44

2000-01

2.08

2001-02

4.4

2002-03

4.8

2003-04

5.7

2004-05

42.7

2005-06

43.5

2006-07

45.8

Information on the number of young people who have received EMA payments each academic year is provided below, split by Gender and Ethnicity. This information is collected as part of the application process for EMA and is non-mandatory. The No Information Provided rows below detail where this section was left incomplete.

Gender

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

Male

125,516

187,912

244,345

Female

144,764

218,215

270,178

No information provided

27,287

24,202

13,873

Total

297,567

430,329

528,396

Ethnicity

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

Asian or Asian British

Bangladeshi

7,840

8,065

9,893

Indian

10,983

12,370

14,282

Pakistani

15,137

18,916

21,760

Any other Asian background

3,602

4,301

5,596

Black or Black British

African

9,820

12,967

16,626

Caribbean

7,175

8,842

10,747

Any other black background

1,260

1,558

1,786

Chinese

Chinese

2,755

3,336

3,878

Mixed

White and Asian

1,792

2,581

3,155

White and Black African

1,028

1,341

1,631

White and Black Caribbean

4,652

5,839

7,934

Any other mixed background

2,720

3,672

4,452

White

British

200,808

301,158

387,672

Irish

1,402

849

1,027

Any other white background

4,074

5,267

6,390

No information provided

22,519

39,267

31,567

Total

297,567

430,329

528,396

The first cohort of learners to be eligible to receive EMA following national roll-out will have recently progressed into higher education. The LSC is working with UCAS and HESA to analyse those learners who have progressed to higher education courses after completing further education with support from EMA. We are planning that the results of this work to be available in Summer 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many young people in (a) Warrington, South and (b) Warrington received the education maintenance allowance in each year since its establishment. (167071)

This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), who operate the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and hold the information about take-up and payments made under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Lady with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 28 November 2007:

I am writing in response to your recent Parliamentary Question that asked; how many young people in (a) Warrington South and (b) Warrington received the education maintenance allowance in each year since its establishment.

Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at Local Authority Level but not at local area level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.

EMA take-up for Warrington Local Authority area during each academic year since inception is as follows:

Number

2004/05

726

2005/06

1,332

2006/07

1,685

2007/08

11,497

1 To 31 October 2007.

EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07 and to date in 2007/08 is now also available on the LSC website, at the following address:

http://www.lsc.gov.uk/providers/Data/statistics/learner/EMA_take_up.htm

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effects of education maintenance allowances on educational attainment; and if he will make a statement. (174551)

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for the operation of the education maintenance allowance (EMA) scheme. An analysis of the impact of EMA on attainment was commissioned by the LSC and a copy of the results, with a summary of the key findings was placed in the House Library, on 3 December 2007.