§ Mr. Hirstasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the additional cost to the Exchequer of central Government funding the entire cost of education services throughout the United Kingdom; and what would be the consequential increase in the standard rate of income tax.
§ Mr. Peter ReesIn 1983–84 current expenditure by local authorities on education is £12.3 billion including £66 million financed from the regional rate in Northern Ireland. The cost to the Exchequer of financing that expenditure would depend on what happened to grants to local authorities. With no reduction in grants the costs would be equal to about 12p on the basic rate of income tax.