HC Deb 01 December 1981 vol 14 cc121-2
1. Mr. John Carlisle

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the cost to the Exchequer in the present financial year for the education of children under the assisted places scheme; and what would be the comparable cost if those children were educated in the maintained sector.

The Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science (Dr. Rhodes Boyson)

My Department expects to pay grant of about £3.2 million in this financial year in respect of the 4,185 pupils admitted to assisted places in September. The average cost of providing for that number of pupils to attend maintained secondary schools for two terms this year is also estimated to be £3.2 million.

Mr. Carlisle

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Does he agree that the scheme has been an outstanding success, that it represents real value for money for the taxpayer and that it has been welcomed by thousands of parents throughout the land as widening the choice for their children's education? How many children are entering the scheme from the lower income groups?

Dr. Boyson

I agree with my hon. Friend's comments. One-third of parents with children in the scheme have a family income which means that they pay no fees at all. Another one-third have an income which is below the average wage. Two-thirds of the children involved are therefore from families earning below the average wage. There is no doubt that the scheme is bringing into excellent schools, with good sixth forms, pupils from deprived backgrounds.

Mr. Flannery

Cuts in education are biting so deeply that teachers are coming to the House this afternoon to complain bitterly that the public education system is suffering worse than ever before. Is the hon. Gentleman aware that public money is being used to help private education and to give favours to those who are already favoured at the expense of our children?

Dr. Boyson

There is such a queue for private education that it does not need any help. The help is required to enable academically able pupils to go to those schools irrespective of family income. The cost of attending the Edward VI grammar school in Birmingham is £756 a year. I explained in a letter sent to one of my hon. Friends yesterday that the cost of school education in the maintained sector between the ages of 11 and 16 is £1,004, and over the age of 16 it is £1,623. If the hon. Gentleman had listened to my original reply, he would realise that the overall cost would be the same as if the children involved were in the maintained sector.

Mr. Montgomery

In view of the undoubted success of the scheme, has my hon. Friend any plans for extending it?

Dr. Boyson

I shall pass that comment to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. It is nice to have that vote of total confidence given to the scheme by my hon. Friend.

Mr. Dobson

What are the Government's educational priorities when they can give more than £3 million subsidy for private schools but are not prepared to give any extra money to implement the Education Act 1981 to provide better special education for handicapped children?

Dr. Boyson

I should like to congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his first appearance at the Opposition Front Bench at Question Time, but I am in slight disagreement with his question. I have already explained that the cost of educating these children in the State sector would be the same. Our priority in the education system is to give all children, handicapped or not, the maximum opportunity possible wherever they attend school.