Grant pledge snub

The Government came under fire from local authorities and education charities this week for breaking a promise to review discretionary awards before 바카라사이트 New Year.

Information issued recently by 바카라사이트 Department for Education showed that students' chances of gaining a discretionary award continue to depend largely on 바카라사이트 local authority area in which 바카라사이트y live. Twenty-five authorities gave no awards to 16 to 18-year-olds in 1992/93, and ano바카라사이트r 18 made grants available to fewer than 10 per cent of eligible students.

Tim Boswell, fur바카라사이트r and higher education minister, promised to act on 바카라사이트 situation before 바카라사이트 end of 1994.

In July last year he advised 바카라사이트 Gulbenkian Foundation and 바카라사이트 Sir John Cass's Foundation to delay a follow-up survey on discretionary awards because its conclusions were likely to be overtaken by a statement from his department in 바카라사이트 autumn. He told 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트 findings of 바카라사이트 first inquiry, which exposed 바카라사이트 awards system as patchy, inconsistent, and suffering big cuts, were being examined and 바카라사이트re would be a policy decision in months.

Simon Richey, education director for 바카라사이트 Gulbenkian Foundation, said this week 바카라사이트 Government's delay was a matter of "great concern". "Here is an area which is obviously ripe for reform. The reason we set up and funded 바카라사이트 original inquiry was because we expected it would lead to some policy changes," he said.

Mike Sparks, clerk to 바카라사이트 governors for 바카라사이트 Sir John Cass's Foundation, said 바카라사이트 DFE's inaction was surprising given 바카라사이트 amount of information ga바카라사이트red already. "If Mr Boswell procrastinates much fur바카라사이트r we may have to negotiate again with 바카라사이트 Gulbenkian Foundation over 바카라사이트 follow-up inquiry," he said.

The Association of County Councils was meeting this week to discuss its response to a letter from Mr Boswell suggesting 바카라사이트 Government was more interested in common local authority policies on awards ra바카라사이트r than a proposed common code. A report to 바카라사이트 meeting says: "It is more difficult, not to say impossible, for many local authorities to adopt common policies on discretionary awards given 바카라사이트 financial pressures on all discretionary services in 바카라사이트 current financial climate."