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| Social mobility warning on scrapping EMA | Social mobility warning on scrapping EMA |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Social mobility will be "thrown into reverse" by scrapping the Education Maintenance Allowance in England, Labour's Andy Burnham has told MPs. | Social mobility will be "thrown into reverse" by scrapping the Education Maintenance Allowance in England, Labour's Andy Burnham has told MPs. |
| The shadow education secretary wants the government to abandon its plan to end the grants for teenagers. | The shadow education secretary wants the government to abandon its plan to end the grants for teenagers. |
| Mr Burnham said it was an attack on the aspirations of young people. | Mr Burnham said it was an attack on the aspirations of young people. |
| Education Secretary Michael Gove said the grant had been "poorly targeted" and told MPs "you cannot spend money you do not have". | Education Secretary Michael Gove said the grant had been "poorly targeted" and told MPs "you cannot spend money you do not have". |
| "Choices are dependent on the money - and where is the money coming from?" said Mr Gove. | "Choices are dependent on the money - and where is the money coming from?" said Mr Gove. |
| He told the MPs the choice was whether or not they wanted to "target support on those who need it most". | |
| MPs have been debating a call for the government to rethink its announcement that it would remove the means-tested allowances of between £10 and £30 per week. | MPs have been debating a call for the government to rethink its announcement that it would remove the means-tested allowances of between £10 and £30 per week. |
| Mr Burnham warned that too many MPs were out of touch with the reality of the pressures facing these low-income families who received these allowances. | Mr Burnham warned that too many MPs were out of touch with the reality of the pressures facing these low-income families who received these allowances. |
| Stopping the allowances would mean "stacking the odds" against young people - and "kicking away the ladder of opportunity", Mr Burnham told MPs. | Stopping the allowances would mean "stacking the odds" against young people - and "kicking away the ladder of opportunity", Mr Burnham told MPs. |
| Protests | Protests |
| Students are planning a second day of protests over the issue. | Students are planning a second day of protests over the issue. |
| Lunchtime demonstrations were held on at least 30 school and college campuses, the University and College Union said. | Lunchtime demonstrations were held on at least 30 school and college campuses, the University and College Union said. |
| A rally is scheduled in central London, and a group of students are holding classes in a room in the Houses of Parliament in protest against the decision. | A rally is scheduled in central London, and a group of students are holding classes in a room in the Houses of Parliament in protest against the decision. |
| Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) were introduced by Labour to encourage young people from deprived backgrounds to stay in education and training after the age of 16. | Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) were introduced by Labour to encourage young people from deprived backgrounds to stay in education and training after the age of 16. |
| Depending on their parents' income, students receive payments of £10, £20 or £30 a week. | Depending on their parents' income, students receive payments of £10, £20 or £30 a week. |
| Wales and Scotland also have the payment, which is under review in Northern Ireland. | Wales and Scotland also have the payment, which is under review in Northern Ireland. |
| The allowance can be spent however the student chooses, but are intended to cover the cost of course equipment, books and transport. | The allowance can be spent however the student chooses, but are intended to cover the cost of course equipment, books and transport. |
| Campaigners say many students will drop out of courses, and others will not be able to afford to start them, if the allowance is cut as planned. | Campaigners say many students will drop out of courses, and others will not be able to afford to start them, if the allowance is cut as planned. |
| But a spokesman for the Department for Education said: "EMA is a hugely expensive programme, costing over £560m a year, with costs of administration amounting to £36 million." | But a spokesman for the Department for Education said: "EMA is a hugely expensive programme, costing over £560m a year, with costs of administration amounting to £36 million." |
| The education department also says research shows that 90% of young people receiving the allowance would continue in education even if the grant was stopped. | The education department also says research shows that 90% of young people receiving the allowance would continue in education even if the grant was stopped. |
| 'Damaging impact' | 'Damaging impact' |
| National Union of Students' president, Aaron Porter, warned that the EMA was a "vital lifeline" for young people which could help keep them in education and out of unemployment. | National Union of Students' president, Aaron Porter, warned that the EMA was a "vital lifeline" for young people which could help keep them in education and out of unemployment. |
| Labour argues in its Commons motion that EMA gives the poorest young people the choice of going to the best colleges in their area, by helping with transport costs. | Labour argues in its Commons motion that EMA gives the poorest young people the choice of going to the best colleges in their area, by helping with transport costs. |
| Mr Burnham also accused the Conservatives of breaking a pre-election promise that there were "no plans" to scrap EMA. | Mr Burnham also accused the Conservatives of breaking a pre-election promise that there were "no plans" to scrap EMA. |
| The education secretary was pressed by MPs to apologise - but Mr Gove blamed the financial deficit which he said had been the responsibility of the previous government. | The education secretary was pressed by MPs to apologise - but Mr Gove blamed the financial deficit which he said had been the responsibility of the previous government. |
| The Conservative chairman of the Education Select Committee, Graham Stuart, said that the nation's finances meant a "diet of hard decisions". | |
| As such he said it was "hard to see that EMA is a sensible use of a scarce resource". | |
| But Mr Stuart said that it would be important for any replacement scheme to consider travel costs for young people in rural areas. | |
| His predecessor as select committee chairman, Barry Sheerman, said that scrapping EMA was a "shameful day" and that allowing more students to drop out of education would prove more expensive for the economy. | |
| Research by the University and College Union, published on Tuesday, suggested that 70% of students in the poorest areas would drop out of college if their EMA was stopped. | Research by the University and College Union, published on Tuesday, suggested that 70% of students in the poorest areas would drop out of college if their EMA was stopped. |
| UCU polled more than 700 students, in the 30 colleges and schools with the highest proportion of students receiving EMA in England. | UCU polled more than 700 students, in the 30 colleges and schools with the highest proportion of students receiving EMA in England. |
| Some 38% of those polled said they would not have started their courses without EMA, while 63% said they received no financial support from their family for college costs. | Some 38% of those polled said they would not have started their courses without EMA, while 63% said they received no financial support from their family for college costs. |
| Greatest barriers | Greatest barriers |
| The government says it now plans to support the most needy students through a discretionary fund administered by colleges, which it has said it hopes to triple from its current level of £26m. | The government says it now plans to support the most needy students through a discretionary fund administered by colleges, which it has said it hopes to triple from its current level of £26m. |
| The government also points out that local authorities have a statutory obligation to make sure that transport is not a barrier to students' education. | The government also points out that local authorities have a statutory obligation to make sure that transport is not a barrier to students' education. |
| In an amendment to the Labour motion, Schools Minister Nick Gibb says support "must be in place to allow those who face the greatest barriers to participation to access this opportunity". | In an amendment to the Labour motion, Schools Minister Nick Gibb says support "must be in place to allow those who face the greatest barriers to participation to access this opportunity". |
| Are you a student receiving EMA? Are you rethinking your college plans? Are you planning to attend today's rally? | Are you a student receiving EMA? Are you rethinking your college plans? Are you planning to attend today's rally? |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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