§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what target she has set for the share of national income which is spent on education for each of the next five years; and if she will make a statement. [5689]
§ Estelle MorrisUnited Kingdom education spending is forecast to rise from 5.0 per cent. of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2001–02 to 5.3 per cent. in 2003–04. By comparison the share in 1996–97 was 4.7 per cent. of GDP. The Government have a manifesto pledge to increase the share of national income for education in this Parliament, so that education spending as a share of GDP will be higher than 5.0 per cent., the figure for 2001–02, in the final year of the Parliament. We are therefore on course to meet this pledge.
Plans for later years up to 2005–06 will be set in the 2002 Spending Review, announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 25 June 2001, Official Report, column 39W.