§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the increased costs for(a) schools and (b) local education authorities as a consequence of increased employers' national insurance contributions proposed in the 2002 Budget. [51946]
§ Mr. Timms[holding answer 23 April 2002]: The estimated costs of the proposed increase in national insurance contributions will be in the region of £180 million in 2003–04 for staff employed by English local education authorities of which about £150 million 312W will be attributable to teachers and other staff employed at schools. This cost will be considered alongside other priorities and pressures in the 2002 Spending Review.