§ 18. Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he expects education expenditure to be held at its present planned level in 1983–84.
§ Sir Keith JosephCentral Government expenditure on education, much of which is subject to cash limits, is expected to be held broadly at the level planned for 1983–84. There will be some overspending by local education authorities, but most of the overspend is by a limited number of authorities.
§ Mr. HughesShould not cutting the pupil-teacher ratio be a principal objective of policy? Is the Secretary of State aware that when local education authorities cut education expenditure they blight the lives of youngsters? Will that not have a long-term ill-effect on them?
§ Sir Keith JosephWe are cutting the pupil-teacher ratio. It is at a record low.
§ Mr. DobsonWill the Secretary of State confirm that the HMI reports say that an increasing number of schools are dependent on parental contributions? Does he agree that that means that children in schools in poorer areas of the country are suffering even greater disadvantages? Will he confirm that the Conservative party now believes in pursuing a policy of inequality of opportunity?
§ Sir Keith JosephOn the contrary, we are striving to achieve as much equality of opportunity as is practical, bearing in mind that local authorities decide on the deployment of public money in education.