HC Deb 21 March 1968 vol 761 cc574-5
13. Mr. Hornby

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what share of total public current expenditure in Great Britain has been taken by education in each of the last four years; and what is the Government's estimate for the next four years.

Mr. Gordon Walker

The Answer contains a number of figures and I will, with permission, circulate a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the table:

education must be raised to take account of rising prices.

Mr. Gordon Walker

That was not the Question. It was, "to maintain present educational standards", and I answered that Question.

Sir E. Boyle

But, with regard to the initial Answer, does not the right hon. Gentleman's answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Mr. van Straubenzee) this afternon show the real risk to educational standards implicit in the Government's policy on the rate support grant?

Mr. Gordon Walker

Of course, when we must make savings of this kind—and I take it that the right hon. Gentleman agrees that we must make savings to make devaluation work—there are some unfortunate consequences, though I do not think that they are nearly as grave as he and one or two others suggest.