108.—(1) The Secretary of State may make it a condition of entitlement to payment of any loan that the eligible or qualifying student must provide the Secretary of State with the student’s United Kingdom national insurance number.
(2) Where the Secretary of State has imposed a condition under paragraph (1), the Secretary of State must not make any payment of the loan to the eligible or qualifying student before the Secretary of State is satisfied that the student has complied with that condition.
(3) Despite paragraph (2), the Secretary of State may make a payment of loan to an eligible or qualifying student if the Secretary of State is satisfied that owing to exceptional circumstances it would be appropriate to make such a payment without the eligible or qualifying student having complied with the condition imposed under paragraph (1).