§ Mr. Thorntonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the school population in each of the last five years in (a) England and Wales as a whole, (b) metropolitan areas, (c) Merseyside and (d) Liverpool; and what are the projected figures for these categories for 1985 and 1990.
§ Dr. BoysonThe numbers of full-time and part-time pupils attending maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in the years 1976 to 1980, are given below.
My Department does not make detailed projections for areas smaller than England as a whole, but current indications are that the metropolitan areas, including Merseyside, will show a rate of decline appreciably greater than the national average.
Information about schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleThe 1980–81 rate support grant settlement allowed nationally for local authorities to maintain expenditure on educational administration in real terms at its 1978–79 level. In considering the detailed pattern of expenditure underlying the 1981–82 rate support grant settlement, the Government will have regard to the administrative implications of the provisions of the Education Act 1980: the provisions referred to will not, however, be fully implemented in the financial year in question.
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§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers have claimed 12-week maternity retention pay for each of the last three years; how many have received such payments; of those in receipt, how many have not subsequently completed 13 weeks' teaching; and what the net cost in each case has been.
§ Dr. BoysonThe information is not centrally available, and its assembly would involve inordinate cost.