HC Deb 24 January 1997 vol 288 cc781-2W
Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many assisted places have been taken up by pupils; and at what average cost. [12419]

Mrs. Gillan

In the last academic year—1995–96—for which final figures are available, 29,917 pupils held assisted places in England at an average cost to the Department of £3,816 per pupil.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the schools offering assisted places in 1996–97 and 1997–98, indicating for each(a) the number of places offered, (b) the income received and (c) the proportion of the schools' intake covered by assisted places. [12189]

Mrs. Gillan

I am placing in the Library a list of the 355 schools participating in the assisted places scheme in England showing the total number of places on offer at each school in the current academic year 1996–97. Final figures for the amounts paid to each school will not be available until after the end of the school year. Information relating to the proportion of the schools' intake covered by assisted places is not yet available.

For the academic year 1997–98, I have invited eligible schools to bid for a further tranche of places to complete our commitment to double the scheme over time. Further information about the number of participating schools and places on offer will be made available in due course.

Mr. Olner

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures she has taken to establish whether those schools receiving funding under the assisted places scheme are conducted for charitable purposes only. [12617]

Mrs. Gillan

All schools applying for participation in the assisted places scheme are required to confirm in writing that they are conducted for charitable purposes only and to provide relevant details such as their registered charity number allocated by the Charity Commissioners. Additional checks are made against information held on the Department's register of independent schools, which is updated on an annual basis, and by examining schools' audited financial accounts.