HC Deb 26 June 1996 vol 280 cc326-8
8. Sir David Knox

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much was spent per pupil at primary schools in Staffordshire in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the figure in 1978–79, at constant prices. [33205]

Mrs. Gillan

Unit net institutional expenditure on primary and pre-primary pupils combined in LEA-maintained schools in Staffordshire was, at 1994–95 prices, £1,178 in 1978–79 and £1,565 in 1994–95, the latest year for which figures are available.

Sir David Knox

Although the figures show that there has been a significant increase since the Government came to power, that increase falls short of the increase that has taken place in any number of other local authorities. Will my hon. Friend ensure that, when expenditure for the next financial year is determined, Staffordshire will be given an opportunity to make up the ground that it has lost in recent years?

Mrs. Gillan

My hon. Friend has always been a great champion of Staffordshire's education system. No doubt he is aware that both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have discussed these matters with representatives from the county: we have had some very helpful meetings. I hope that he will bear it in mind that Staffordshire is set to benefit this year from an above-average increase in its education standard spending assessment—an increase of 5 per cent., or £17.324 million.

Mr. Brian David Jenkins

I thank the hon. Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Sir D. Knox) for raising Staffordshire's concern about the SSA. Does the Minister agree with some figures that I have here? [HON. MEMBERS: "Reading."] The Library gave me the figures this morning, and I think that they are fairly accurate. In 1976–77, the SSA for primary schools in Staffordshire was £1,894, and the SSA for secondary schools was £2,520.[Interruption.]

Madam Speaker

Order. Let me help the hon. Gentleman, who has not been in the House as long as some hon. Members and should be granted a little tolerance. At Question Time, hon. Members are not allowed to read or quote.

Mr. Skinner

Except Ministers.

Madam Speaker

Except Ministers. It will be difficult if the hon. Gentleman is going to go through a lot of figures, but will he do his best not to quote and just give the figures? We will help him through today.

Mr. Jenkins

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Rather idealistically, I thought that I could put the figures on the record. I wanted to be accurate about the SSA, because accuracy is sometimes forgotten in the House.

If I moved one of the 800-pupil secondary schools in my constituency into a much deprived area such as Hertfordshire, it would receive an extra £168,000 a year. If the school were moved into Tory Westminster, it would receive more than £600,000 a year extra to educate the same 800 students. Can I tell my constituents, and other people in Staffordshire, that the SSA is accurate and based on a standard of educational attainment, and is not a Tory-funded fiddle?

Mrs. Gillan

After that long question, I think that I had better send the hon. Gentleman back to the Library to do a little more research. Staffordshire's SSA is lower because the authority has falling pupil numbers, while numbers are rising nationally. It receives less for additional educational needs, for example, owing to the falling number of families in the county who are on income support. I would expect the hon. Gentleman to welcome that.

Sir Patrick Cormack

Does my hon. Friend accept that, although the Staffordshire Members of Parliament who spoke to the Secretary of State last year greatly appreciate the sympathetic hearing that she gave and the action that followed, we see it as just the beginning of catching up on other areas? Is it not crucial for Staffordshire to have an even better settlement next year?

Mrs. Gillan

I thank my hon. Friend for his kind remarks. As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Sir D. Knox), we had an extremely good meeting about Staffordshire, and all that is said about its education SSA will be taken into account.