Written Question · S3W-13588 · Session 3
Further to the answer to the first supplementary to question S3O-3427 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 May 2007 (Official Report c. 8925), what (a) in…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary to question S3O-3427 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 May 2007 (Official Report c. 8925), what (a) information technology and (b) administrative functions at the Student Awards Agency for Scotland would have been adversely affected by an attempt to run two systems of means testing for student loans and bursaries concurrently.
The answer
Both the current grants for Scottish students operating system and its replacement student entitlement processing system would have required expenditure and rewriting, adding to the complexity of these systems and the need for additional rigorous testing.
In relation to administrative functions, in order to run two separate means tests, SAAS would have to develop two separate application forms to ensure that all the correct information on the income assessment was collected for each students.
There is no way that SAAS can identify potential new students, which would include those returning to study after a break of a year or more, and therefore cannot control the information or applications given out to these students. From a processing point of view, this could lead to an increase in provisional assessments as SAAS await the correct information and the correct application form.
There is also the added complication of two siblings being assessed using two different means tests. The administration involved in ensuring that different members of one family completed the correct application form, combined with the problem of having to explain why different information is required for each student in the family and why they would be receiving different levels of support, could only lead to complaints.
There is therefore not only a risk of the wrong payment being made, but an increase in the volume of workload for SAAS, who would also have to reassess such cases. This is a hugely complicated system and any increase in the processing and administration of applications could potentially lead to delays in payments to students.
Communicating the two different means tests through Information Advice and Guidance would be very complicated as would the management of how and who this is targeted at. There are various ways that students can receive information on student support, but we have no way of knowing that they are receiving the correct information.
There would also be an impact on the training required within SAAS, as well as significant work on the existing training package for caseworking staff.
I would also refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13589 on 12 June 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
In relation to administrative functions, in order to run two separate means tests, SAAS would have to develop two separate application forms to ensure that all the correct information on the income assessment was collected for each students.
There is no way that SAAS can identify potential new students, which would include those returning to study after a break of a year or more, and therefore cannot control the information or applications given out to these students. From a processing point of view, this could lead to an increase in provisional assessments as SAAS await the correct information and the correct application form.
There is also the added complication of two siblings being assessed using two different means tests. The administration involved in ensuring that different members of one family completed the correct application form, combined with the problem of having to explain why different information is required for each student in the family and why they would be receiving different levels of support, could only lead to complaints.
There is therefore not only a risk of the wrong payment being made, but an increase in the volume of workload for SAAS, who would also have to reassess such cases. This is a hugely complicated system and any increase in the processing and administration of applications could potentially lead to delays in payments to students.
Communicating the two different means tests through Information Advice and Guidance would be very complicated as would the management of how and who this is targeted at. There are various ways that students can receive information on student support, but we have no way of knowing that they are receiving the correct information.
There would also be an impact on the training required within SAAS, as well as significant work on the existing training package for caseworking staff.
I would also refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13589 on 12 June 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-13588 by reference.