Letter - CEHA Scrutiny Panel to the Minister for Children and Education - 6th April 2023

States Greffe

Deputy Inna Gardiner

Minister for Children and Education

Deputy Louise Doublet

Assistant Minister for Children and Education

Connétable Richard Vibert

Assistant Minister for Children and Education

BY EMAIL

6th April 2023

Dear Minister and Assistant Ministers,

Student Finance and grant payments  

The Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel has been notified that payments to 672 students ahead of the summer term were delayed due to an administrative error. The Panel is concerned that this will have had a significant impact on the students relying on receipt of the grant, but also has queries about the process behind the payments. I should therefore be grateful if you provide responses to the following questions:

1. Please could you confirm whether the reason for the administrative error has been identified and advise if it has been addressed? Please provide us with further details about this, where possible.
2. Please could you confirm the total amount (in £GBP) of payments made to higher education students ahead of the summer term?
   1. What was the total amount (in £GBP) of the payments delayed?
3. If possible, please could you provide a copy of the applicable procedure, policy, or payment checklist that Customer and Local Services uses to make payments to higher education students? If no specific document is available, please could you provide further details.
4. In a letter sent by the Minister for Children and Education to the Panel on 4th October 2022, it was indicated that Customer and Local Services was working to deliver improvements in the Student Finance service. Please could you outline the changes that have been made and provide details of any future changes?

The Panel looks forward to your response and would request this is received by 18th April 2023.

Yours sincerely,

Deputy Catherine Curtis

Chair

Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel