§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what sum of money Cheshire County Council has allocated for the provision of private education in the current financial year; and what were the figures for each year since local government reorganisation;
(2) if she will list in the Official Report the moneys allocated by education authorities in England and Wales for the provision of private education in the current financial year; and what were the figures for each year since local government reorganisation.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonMy Department does not prepare analyses of the estimates of each local education authority. Such information as is available is published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. Its education estimates statistics for 1978–79 are not yet available, but those for 1977–78 and earlier years are in the Library.
The CIPFA statistics show that the total estimates for expenditure by local education authorities in England and Wales on 408W agency services in respect of direct grant and independent schools and assistance to pupils at such schools were £38.3 million in 1976–77 and £39.4 million in 1977–78, excluding expenditure on special education. The corresponding figures for Cheshire were £2.2 million in 1976–77 and £2.4 million in 1977–78. Comparable figures are not available for earlier years.