Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2014, Official Report, column 128W, on disabled students' allowances, for what reason the fact that many disabled students receive more than one type of support makes it not possible to make an accurate estimate of the number of students who would qualify for disabled students' allowance under the proposed changes to that allowance.

There is a range of support available under the four Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) (specialist equipment, non-medical help, travel, general). It is expected that students will in future receive a different balance of support between HEI reasonable adjustments and funding via DSAs. For example, some may receive all of their non-medical help support via their HEI rather than via DSAs, but still receive some DSA-funded support towards specialist equipment or travel costs.

Data on all of the different types of support provided to individual students under DSAs are not readily available under current record keeping arrangements. The Equality Analysis will contain an estimate of the number of students who would not be eligible for any support under DSAs following any changes. I will have due regard to this Analysis before regulations are laid before the House.