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The Scottish Executive's response to Cubie is to be probed in Northern Ireland's radical review of student support.

The Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment has issued a consultation paper seeking responses by the beginning of June on how to widen access to under-represented groups.

The government spends about Pounds 55 million on loans to Northern Ireland's 37,300 full-time higher education students. This figure will rise to about Pounds 90 million over the next two years as loans replace grants.

Northern Ireland students at publicly funded colleges in the Republic of Ireland have their fees paid by the Irish government and are entitled to the support package available in the UK.