§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the 10 local education authorities in England which spent most per pupil on the education of pupils with special needs, with the average amounts spent for each such authority and(b) the 10 local education authorities with the greatest number of pupils with special needs, with the number in each case, for the last year for which the information is available.
§ Mr. ForthThe latest year for which information on local education authorities—LEAs—actual spending is available is 1989–90. Information is not collected separately on LEAs' spending on special needs within mainstream schools, nor on support services for special needs. Table 1 lists the 10 LEAs in England which spent most per pupil in maintained or non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, or receiving education other than at school. Table 2 indicates the 10 LEAs providing education for the greatest number of such pupils. To provide a reasonable match with spending data, pupil number data are for January 1990.
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Table 1 Special education spending1 per pupil2 1989–90 Local education authority £ Solihull 14,665 Harrow 13,970 Merton 13,750 Barking and Dagenham 13,090 Cumbria 12,455 Somerset 12,330 Ealing 12,205 Bradford 12,180 Oxfordshire 12,035 Waltham Forest 11,480
Table 2 Number of pupils2 receiving special education January 1990 Local education authority Number Inner London education authority 6,954 Kent 4,160 Hampshire 4,132 Lancashire 3,968 Essex 3,047 Birmingham 2,721 Nottinghamshire 2,321 Hertfordshire 2,232 Avon 2,133 Devon 2,114 1 Total expenditure other than capital financing costs and inter-authority recoupment payments, less income other than from specific Government grants and inter-authority recoupment receipts. 2 Pupils in special schools, hospital schools or receiving education other than at school, January 1990.