When it will announce its response to the recommendations in the report of the Independent Committee of Inquiry into Student Finance.

My Ministerial colleagues and I are grateful to the Independent Committee of Inquiry into Student Finance for the careful consideration it has given to the issues dealt with in its report. We are now considering the recommendations set out in the report and will announce our response to them as soon as possible.An ad-hoc Ministerial Working Group has been set up to take forward consideration of the recommendations and it will meet for the first time today. The members of the Working Group are the Deputy First Minister, the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, the Minister for Rural Affairs, the Minister for Finance, the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and myself.The Ministerial Working Group will study the report and will advise Cabinet which will then make its decision. We expect to be in a position to make a statement to Parliament around the end of January.