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I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14243 on 10 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

The following table shows the number of Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) supported Scottish students receiving some form of support other thanÌý non-means tested loans or tuition fees (or tuition fee loans if they are studying elsewhere in the UK) broken down by parental/spousal income for academic year 2006-07. The table also shows how this data would look if average earnings rose by 3.1% (figure based on growth in average median weekly earnings in the year to April 2007) and income thresholds for means tested maintenance loans for academic years 2007-08 and 2008-09 are applied. Income thresholds for academic year 2009-10 are yet to be determined.

Ìý	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Income not declared/required	3,955	3,955	3,955
< £10,000	11,030	10,660	10,180
£10,000 - £19,999	13,575	13,230	13,025
£20,000 - £29,999	11,945	11,650	11,095
£30,000 - £39,999	9,365	9,445	9,750
£40,000 - £49,999	6,365	6,375	6,795
£50,000 - £59,999	1,755	1,990	2,185
£60,000 - £69,999	685	750	810
£70,000 - £79,999	175	260	345
£80,000 - £89,999	55	60	70
£90,000 - £99,998	40	40	45
£99,999 and above	55	70	80
Exempt from parental/spousal contribution	16,325	16,325	16,325
Total	75,330	74,820	74,665

Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (2006-07 data), Scottish Government analysis (2007-08, 2008-09 data).

Note: Student numbers have been rounded to the nearest five.

Some students on relatively high incomes i.e. above the standard thresholds remain in the table because they are receiving the non-means tested Disabled Student’s Allowance or due to some special circumstances (e.g. study abroad) which means that they receive support where in most cases a student would not.

Income thresholds for means tested loans depend on many individual circumstances including location of study, duration of course, whether a student is in their final year and when they entered higher education. The above calculations take account of the income thresholds that apply to the majority of students, i.e. Scottish students living at home or elsewhere who are on standard degree courses (30 weeks) and are not in their final year. Constant student numbers are assumed i.e. the same students applied in 2007-08 and only their incomes and the thresholds for means tested loans changed.

The latest year for which data are available for students receiving some form of support is for 2006-07. Similarly, 2006-07 is the latest year for which data are available for average earnings.

Students on the Nursing and Midwifery Bursary Scheme are not included in the table.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15194 on 15 August 2008. It has been assumed information is being requested on the public funding of higher education.

(a) The resources provided through the Scottish Funding Council for higher education over the last three years in terms of the Spending Review 2004 settlement were:

2005-06: £853,000,000

2006-07: £958,000,000

2007-08: £1,028,000,000.

(b) The equivalent resources over the next three years in terms of the Spending Review 2007 settlement are:

2008-09: £1,036,000,000

2009-10: £1,082,000,000

2010-11: £1,126,000,000

(i) Details of student numbers for the period requested are only currently available up to 2006-07. Information on student numbers for 2005-06 and 2006-07 can be found at:

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(ii) Projected details of student numbers are not held centrally.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

International comparable data on higher education expenditure on research and development (HERD) are only available for the 30 OECD countries. The latest available figures relate to 2005.

Scottish HERD in 2005 was £688,000, which was 0.7% of GDP and second only to Sweden in terms of percentage of GDP. With only 30 countries having comparable data, very small changes in expenditure could lead to major annual shifts between deciles. However, this places Scotland’s HERD as a percentage of GDP in the top decile of OECD countries.

The interim report of the Joint Futures Thinking Taskforce on Universities recognises there are a number of factors which contribute to keeping universities nationally and internationally competitive. While public resource is one, this includes not just funding from the Scottish Government but also, for example, grants from Research Councils. In addition, many of our institutions attract funding from private sources. This dual support model was highlighted as a strength in the interim report. In the future, the proposed Tripartite Advisory Group will play a key role in advising the Scottish Government on public resources.

The taskforce members agreed that the tripartite advisory group will comprise representatives from the government, universities and the funding council. The taskforce did not prescribe how the individual members of the group would be chosen and appointed.

Over the summer, stakeholders are being actively encouraged to contribute to the discussion of New Horizons before the taskforce meets again in September and considers how best to respond.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15197 on 14 August 2008. The Taskforce has agreed to establish a tripartite advisory group comprising representatives from the government, universities and the funding council to provide advice on the proposed new funding arrangements as set out in the interim report, New Horizons. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

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Staff and student representatives have a number of mechanisms and opportunities to provide advice to this government on higher education, such as the FE/HE Roundtable. We have also held two student summits to discuss a range of higher education issues.

Over the summer, staff and student representatives and other stakeholders are being actively encouraged to contribute to the discussion of New Horizons before the taskforce meets again in September and considers how best to respond.

Following publication of New Horizons, John McClelland, Chair of the Scottish Funding Council, agreed to lead a review of the funding council''s processes and procedures in readiness for its future new role in relation to the governance of and funding policies for our universities. It is therefore the Scottish Funding Council that will be considering this matter and making proposals rather than the Scottish Government.

New Horizons is clear that universities should demonstrate through robust evidence how their activities align closely with the Government''s Purpose and Strategic Objectives.

The Scottish Government has not directly assigned any funds to independent research on whether universities'' publicly-funded activity makes a significant contribution to our purpose.

The following table shows higher education students who are receiving support, other than non means tested maintenance loan, from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) in academic years 2004-2005 to 2006-2007.

Academic Year	Number of students
2004-05	117,155
2005-06	117,880
2006-07	119,090

Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

Student numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5.

Students are included in the table if they receive support including tuition fees, (or tuition fee loans if they study outside Scotland) and/or awards and/or means tested maintenance loans.

This table does not include students on the Nursing and Midwifery Bursary Scheme. Academic year 2006-07 is the latest for which figures are available.