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| Labour loses vote to stop scrapping of EMA grants | Labour loses vote to stop scrapping of EMA grants |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Labour has lost its attempt in the House of Commons to reverse plans to scrap the Education Maintenance Allowance in England. | Labour has lost its attempt in the House of Commons to reverse plans to scrap the Education Maintenance Allowance in England. |
| The government won by a majority of 59 votes - having argued that the allowance to keep teenagers in education was poorly targeted. | The government won by a majority of 59 votes - having argued that the allowance to keep teenagers in education was poorly targeted. |
| Labour's education spokesman, Andy Burnham, told MPs that social mobility would be "thrown into reverse". | Labour's education spokesman, Andy Burnham, told MPs that social mobility would be "thrown into reverse". |
| A protest against cutting the allowance was staged in central London. | A protest against cutting the allowance was staged in central London. |
| MPs have been debating a call from Labour for the government to rethink its plans to remove the means-tested allowances of between £10 and £30 per week. | MPs have been debating a call from Labour for the government to rethink its plans to remove the means-tested allowances of between £10 and £30 per week. |
| Spending priority | Spending priority |
| 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. |
| But Education Secretary Michael Gove said the grant had been "poorly targeted" and told MPs "you cannot spend money you do not have". | But 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. |
| "If we really believe in generating social mobility in this country then the question we have to ask ourselves is - how is every pound best invested?" said Mr Gove. | "If we really believe in generating social mobility in this country then the question we have to ask ourselves is - how is every pound best invested?" said Mr Gove. |
| Mr Burnham had warned that too many MPs were out of touch with the reality of the pressures facing these low-income families who received allowances. | Mr Burnham had warned that too many MPs were out of touch with the reality of the pressures facing these low-income families who received 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 held protests against scrapping the allowance - including a group of students who held classes in a room in the Houses of Parliament. | Students held protests against scrapping the allowance - including a group of students who held classes in a room in the Houses of Parliament. |
| Several hundred people took part in a peaceful march in central London. | Several hundred people took part in a peaceful march in central London. |
| The ASCL head teachers' union criticised the scrapping of the allowances as "absolutely the wrong move" and a "false economy". | |
| 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 allowances could be spent however the student chooses, but were intended to cover the cost of course equipment, books and transport. | The allowances could be spent however the student chooses, but were intended to cover the cost of course equipment, books and transport. |
| Campaigners warned that 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 warned that 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 said research showed that 90% of young people receiving the allowance would continue in education even if the grant was stopped. | The education department also said research showed that 90% of young people receiving the allowance would continue in education even if the grant was stopped. |
| 'Vital lifeline' | 'Vital lifeline' |
| 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. |
| Save the Children said that scrapping EMA "will have a worse impact on the poorest pupils than increasing tuition fees". | Save the Children said that scrapping EMA "will have a worse impact on the poorest pupils than increasing tuition fees". |
| Labour argued 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 argued 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 the nation's finances meant a "diet of hard decisions". | The Conservative chairman of the Education Select Committee, Graham Stuart, said 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". | 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. | 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. | 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. |
| 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. |