§ 64. Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much proposed 141W education spending has been increased in 1986–87 and 1987–88 since he came to office; what percentage of gross domestic product will be spent on education in 1986–87 and 1987–88; and how it compares with the percentage in 1978–79.
§ Mr. Chris PattenSince taking office my right hon. Friend has announced increased funding for the introduction of the GCSE and an increase of £36 in the value of individual student awards. The total expenditure concerned is £24.5 million in 1986–87 and £14 million in 1987–88. An additional £5 million has also been made available in 1986–87 for scientific and technological equipment for the introduction of the GCSE by my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Employment. All of this expenditure falls within the overall public expenditure planning totals.
Public expenditure on education in the United Kingdom in 1978–79 was 5.3 per cent. of GDP for that year. The plans for education spending in 1986–87 set out in the 1986 Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9702) represent 4.4 per cent. of forecast GDP. Decisions on the level of provision for local authority current expenditure on education in 1987–88 remain to be taken.