§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide a table setting out the number of pupils in Greater London reaching the school leaving age in every year from 1975, including figures for 1991 or estimates for 1991 if figures are not available.
§ Mr. FallonThe table shows the number of pupils in maintained secondary schools in Greater London in their final year of compulsory education. The figure for 1990–91 has been estimated on the basis of the number of pupils in their penultimate year of compulsory education in 1989–90.
Pupils in their final year of compulsory education in maintained secondary schools in Greater London, academic years 1974–75 to 1990–91. (Thousands) 1974–75 87.9 1975–76 88.9 1976–77 91.2 1977–78 92.7 1978–79 93.2 1979–80 94.1 1980–81 92.6 1981–82 90.5 1982–83 87.5 1983–84 83.9 1984–85 80.0 1985–86 75.5 1986–87 75.4 1987–88 69.4 1988–89 64.9 1989–90 62.4 1990–91 160.0 1Estimated.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he has any plans to provide further funds for London's education service;
544W(2) if he has received a copy of the Association of London Authorities' report "Taking Stock, The Resources Needed to Fund London's Education Service."
§ Mr. EggarYes. My right hon. and learned Friend has seen the document. The Government have provided a financial framework in which London councils can provide a high-quality education service if they manage their affairs well. Standard spending assessments for London for all services are on average 21 per cent. higher in 1991–92 than in 1990–91, while education standard spending assessments have risen 18 per cent. on average. Inner London also receives help through special education grants, which total £70 million in 1991–92 alone. The average SSA allowance for pupils of compulsory school age is around 50 per cent. higher in inner London than in Barnsley or Sheffield.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide a table for Greater London, showing the number of places available at, and the number of 16-year-old students entering separately, sixth forms, sixth-form colleges, tertiary colleges, and further education colleges in every year from 1975, including figures for 1991 or estimates for 1991 if figures are not available.
§ Mr. EggarThe number of places available at, and the number of 16-year-old students entering, sixth-form colleges is not available centrally. The number of full or part-time students aged 16 years in sixth forms, sixth-form colleges and further education colleges are as follows:
Sixth forms (thousands) Sixth form colleges (thousands) Further education (thousands) Percentage of population aged 16l 1974–75 26.8 1.2 — — 1975–76 29.6 1.3 — — 1976–77 30.8 1.4 — — 1977–78 30.0 0.9 — — 1978–79 30.4 1.0 — — 1979–80 30.2 1.2 21.4 — 1980–81 31.0 1.3 — — 1981–82 33.7 1.4 20.7 60 1982–83 32.6 1.5 21.0 60 1983–84 30.1 1.4 22.1 61 1984–85 28.2 1.5 22.2 62 1985–86 26.5 1.8 20.4 61 1986–87 24.6 1.8 21.7 64 1987–88 24.5 0.9 21.6 64 1988–89 22.5 2.4 20.8 65 1989–90 22.2 2.3 21.5 70 1 Source: DES Statistical Bulletins 6/87 and 14/91. Notes:
(1) Age is at 31 August at the start of the academic year.
(2) Adult Education Centres have been excluded.
(3) Information on which to make reasonable estimates for 1990–91 is not yet available.
(4) GLC data for further education colleges are not readily available for 1974–75 to 1978–79 and 1980–81.
(5) GLC data for tertiary colleges are not readily available.