Assembly Written Question 14470/17-22

Question: To ask the Minister for the Economy, in relation to the £500 Covid Disruption Payment, to detail (i) the rationale for excluding students studying at Belfast Bible College; and (ii) whether she will extend the payment to such students.

Answer: The Covid Disruption Payment is for full-time UK and EU students at Northern Ireland publicly funded Higher Education Institutions and full-time Higher Education students at the Further Education Colleges, in recognition of the disruption suffered by students to their studies due to the impact of Covid-19.

It is important to note, however, the funding agreed is for Northern Ireland institutions to support their students. Payments will issue directly from the institutions, not from the Department. It should also be noted the only feasible way in which a payment scheme of this size can be implemented is to work through the students’ institutions; that is, either their university or further education college.

As the payment is for Northern Ireland publicly funded Higher Education Institutions, this excludes Belfast Bible College and other alternative providers which are not in receipt of recurrent grant funding from the Department. The Department simply does not have the legal vires to make payments to such institutions.

I therefore have no plans to extend the £500 Covid Disruption Payment to students of Belfast Bible College, or other alternative providers.