§ Baroness Davidasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much local authorities spent in 1989–90 and to date in 1990–91 on discretionary educational maintenance allowances for young people, over the age for compulsory schooling, who have chosen to remain in the non-advanced system of education; and how many pupils in this category benefit from the scheme.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Baroness Blatch)The latest available data for England, Wales and Northern Ireland are for the academic year 1988–89. Data for Scotland have not been collected centrally since 1986–87.
In 1988–89, local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, spent £11.3 million on educational maintenance allowances to 31,300 pupils aged 16 or over. In addition, local authorities spent £101.8 million on discretionary awards to 131,800 students in further (as opposed to higher) education.