§ 9. Mr. Harveyasked the Secretary of State for Wales by how much spending on education in Wales has increased since 1979, compared with the period 1974 to 1979; and by how much the teacher-pupil ratio in Wales has changed since 1979.
§ Mr. John Stradling ThomasBetween the financial years 1978–79 and 1983–84, local authority education expenditure increased in cost terms by 0.7 per cent. compared with a decrease of 7.5 per cent. between 1974–75 and 1978–79. The overall pupil-teacher ratio was 18.2:1 in January and 17.3:1 in January 1984.
§ Mr. HarveyDoes my hon. Friend agree that those remarkable figures show that the only cuts in education expenditure during the past decade have taken place under a Labour Government? Does he further agree that the industrial dispute involving the teachers is causing damage to education in Wales?
§ Mr. Stradling ThomasI certainly agree with my hon. Friend. The figures do not lend support to those who claim that heavy cuts have occurred since 1979. In 1983–84 current expenditure on education, excluding school meals and milk, was almost 4 per cent. greater in cost terms than in 1978–79, but between those years pupil numbers fell by 11 per cent. and teacher numbers by only 6 per cent. I urge the teachers to set a good example.
§ Dr. MarekWhat would be the effect on those figures if the Clegg award, which was made in 1979–80, were taken into account? Does the hon. Gentleman agree that that Clegg award distorts the figures? Does he further agree that if the figures were adjusted to take account of that award education expenditure would be shown to have decreased under the present Tory Administration and to have increased under the previous Labour Adminstration?
§ Mr. Stradling ThomasI cannot agree with the hon. Gentleman. The Clegg award was taken into the account in the figures that I cited.
§ Mr. Stradling ThomasI assure the hon. Gentleman and the House that it was.