HC Deb 13 November 1996 vol 285 cc353-4
16. Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many places at private schools are being financed by the assisted places scheme in the 1996–97 academic year. [2086]

Mrs. Gillan

There are 37,816 assisted places available at 355 schools in England.

Mr. Williams

There are 7 million children in schools in England and Wales. The assisted places scheme benefits only a tiny minority—less than 1 per cent. How can it be right to take resources away from the many to benefit just a few? How does that square with the Prime Minister's avowed intention of creating a classless society and opportunity for all?

Mrs. Gillan

I cannot believe that the Labour Members are still peddling their opposition to the assisted places scheme. It is extremely good value for money, as I have said many times from the Dispatch Box. The average cost of an assisted place is somewhat higher than, but of the same order as, an average maintained pupil place. The difference is not excessive. An assisted place, the average cost of which is —3,700, is better value than the cost of maintained places in authorities such as Hackney and Lambeth.

Mr. Fabricant

Is not it true that 70 per cent. of those going into secondary education with the assisted places scheme come from maintained primary schools? It is simple arithmetic that, if they were not going to private schools with the assisted places scheme, their education would have to be funded by local education authorities. Is it not about time that the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Williams) put his short trousers back on, went back to school and learnt some basic arithmetic?

Mrs. Gillan

We want to spare you the sight of the hon. Member for Carmarthen in short trousers, Madam Speaker. My hon. Friend is right. Nearly 70 per cent. of pupils on the assisted places scheme come from maintained primary schools.

The most important fact about the scheme is that 40 per cent. of the assisted pupils come from families with a total annual income lower than —9,874. Some 80 per cent. come from families with an income lower than the national average. Labour Members want to take away that opportunity for children from poor families. They should be ashamed of continuing to peddle their disgraceful policy.

17. Mr. Pearson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children from Dudley metropolitan borough are currently being educated at schools through the assisted places scheme. [2087]

Mrs. Gillan

Information about the local education authority area from which assisted pupils originate is not collected centrally.

Mr. Pearson

Is it not unjust and unfair that the Government are prepared to shell out millions of pounds to provide elitist private education to a handful of children in Dudley when 4,500 five, six and seven-year-olds in the borough's cash-strapped schools are suffering in class sizes of 30 or more? Does not new Labour's pledge to cut class sizes for youngsters show which party really cares about educational opportunities for all?

Mrs. Gillan

The hon. Gentleman had better check up. This is not new Labour, but old Labour. This is the politics of envy. This is the Labour party that says to poor families, "Your children are not going to be allowed to have the chance that our children have had or we have had." The hon. Gentleman should look closely at the assisted places scheme, at the value for money it offers and at the results achieved by the pupils. He should recognise that it is about time the education policies of the Opposition parties started to level up rather than down.