§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will publish his criteria for permitting an assisted place to continue to be offered to a child who has reached the age of 11 years. [4721]
§ Mr. ByersThe Education (Schools) Bill currently before Parliament provides for pupils aged 11 and over at the start of September 1997 to continue to hold their assisted places until the end of their secondary education. The Bill also provides for a discretionary power to allow, in certain circumstances, pupils receiving primary education to continue to hold their assisted places for a further period during which they receive secondary education. Each case will be considered sympathetically and on its own merits, once the Bill has received Royal Assent.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the cost to the Government of all children(a) currently at junior or primary school under the assisted places scheme and (b) expected to start this autumn under the scheme remaining in the scheme until the age of 18 years. [5187]
§ Mr. ByersSupporting all primary age pupils in junior departments of participating senior schools—both those who took up assisted places in the current academic year and those who are expected to take up places in September 1997—through to age 18 would have cost in the region of £80 million at current prices in England from academic year 1997–98 onwards.