§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish figures to show the per capita expenditure in England and Wales by education authorities on school pupils for the most recent year that figures are available; if he will detail the figures for each education authority; and if he will break down the spending into (a) books, (b) stationery, (c) physical education equipment and (d) other; and if he will give the figures separately for primary and secondary schools.
§ Dr. BoysonNet institutional recurrent expenditure per head by English local education authorities in 1979–80 was £429 in primary schools and £612 in secondary schools (at outturn prices). Expenditure on certain specific items was as follows:
Primary Secondary £ (outturn) £ (outturn) Text and library books 4.7 7.8 Educational equipment, stationery and materials (including physical education equipment) 9.6 18.8 Other equipment, stationery and materials 1.7 7.3 These categories are the nearest to those requested for which information isavailable.
Details of unit costs in individual local education authorities are provided in "Education Statistics 1980–81: Actuals", published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy; there is a copy in the House of Commons Library.
Local authority expenditure in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.