HC Deb 03 June 1980 vol 985 cc690-1W
Mr. Craigen

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many and what percentages of pupils remained at school beyond the statutory leaving age in each region in England in the last period for which figures are available.

Dr. Boyson

In January 1979—the latest date for which information is available—the numbers and percentages of pupils remaining at maintained schools (other than special schools) beyond the statutory school leaving age were as follows:

of Parliament, I propose should apply to the assisted places scheme in the 1981–82 school year. The scale has been updated, and has been revised to increase the allowance for dependent relatives other than the spouse and the assisted place holder, to reduce the parental contribution in respect of a second assisted place holder in the same family, and to remove any sharp cut-off effect at the upper end of the scale. I hope that draft regulations containing the scale will be laid before the House before we rise for the Summer Recess.

My Department will shortly be writing to schools inviting them to submit applications for membership of the assisted places scheme, and informing them of the revised fee remission scale and of the proposed content of regulations relating to the scheme to be made under section 17 of the Education Act 1980. Other

ILLUSTRATIONS FROM FEE REMISSION SCALE TO APPLY TO THE ASSISTED PLACES SCHEME IN 1981–82 SCHOOL YEAR
Assessable income in 1980–81 fiscal year Parental contribution to qualifying fees in 1981–82 school year
Bands of contribution from income (in respect of 1 assisted place holder) Family with 1 child Family with 2 dependants 1 assisted place holder 2 assisted place holder
£ £ £ £
Up to
4,600 5,200 Nil Nil
9 per cent. of income from 4,767 5,367 15 22.50
£4,601 to £5,000 (one child family) and equivalent incomes. 5,000 5,600 36 54
12 per cent. of income from 5,100 5,700 48 72
£5,001 to £5,400. 5,400 6,000 84 126
15 per cent. of income from 5,500 6,100 99 148.50
£5,401 to £6,200. 6,200 6,800 204 306
21 per cent. of income from 6,300 6,900 225 337.50
£6,201 to £7,400. 7,400 8,000 456 684
24 per cent. of income from 7,500 8,100 480 720
£7,401 to £9,000. 9,000 9,600 840 1,260
33 per cent. of income from 9,100 9,700 873 1,309.50
£9,001. 11,000 11,600 1,500 2,250

Notes:

  1. 1. The amount of fees to be remitted will be the difference between the qualifying fees charged by the school for the school year and the parental contribution determined in accordance with the table above.
  2. 2. Assessable income will be the total income before tax (in the tax year ending in the calendar year in which the school year begins) of the parents and of the child (or children) applying for or holding an assisted place (excluding child benefit and any disability allowances).
  3. 3. £600 of assessable income will be allowed in respect of each dependent child or other dependent relative excluding a dependent spouse and the first child applying for or holding an assisted place.
  4. 4. Fees will be totally remitted where the assessable income does not exceed £4,600 in the case of a one-child family with no other eligible dependants, and the equivalent income levels for families with more dependants; and also where the assessed parental contribution is less than £15 a year, so that a one child family with no other dependants will start to contribute at an assessable income of £4,767.
  5. 5. Where a second child in a family holds an assisted place the parental contribution in respect of the second assisted place holder will be half that for the first.
  6. 6. The table above is a summary of the full scale, which will run in £3 steps of parental contribution for the first assisted place holder.