Information to be passed from the loan manager (StudyLink) to Inland Revenue

Clause 11(2)(a)

Submission

(Matter raised by officials)

Information transferred from StudyLink to Inland Revenue to assist with the administration and collection of student loans does not currently include borrowers’ phone numbers or the date that StudyLink advised the borrower of their loan via a loan entitlement advice letter. Changes should be made to give effect to these omissions.

Comment

Providing borrower phone numbers will help Inland Revenue to contact borrowers about their student loan and in the collection of outstanding repayments. Information on the date that StudyLink provided the loan entitlement advice letter is required to set up the borrower’s account with Inland Revenue and for the building of system checks to ensure loan advances cannot be made earlier than the date that StudyLink provided the loan entitlement advice. Officials recommend that the bill be amended to require this information to be transferred from StudyLink to Inland Revenue. These changes would apply from 1 January 2012.

Recommendation

That the submission be accepted.