HC Deb 05 May 1955 vol 540 c147W
5. Mr. Warbey

asked the Minister of Education the combined expenditure of Government and local authorities on education per child of school age in 1938 and 1954, respectively; and by what amount the figure for 1954 would be increased or decreased if it represented the same proportion of the national income as the figure for 1938.

Mr. Vosper

The total expenditure per child from rates and taxes combined on the whole educational service within my Department's purview amounted in 1937–38 to rather over £17. On the basis of the revised estimates of authorities and my Department's vote, the corresponding figure in 1954–55 was about £60. The latter figure would be decreased to about £52.5 if it represented the same proportion per child of the gross national product as did £17 in 1937–38.

These figures do not reveal the great increase that has taken place in local authorities' capital expenditure which in 1937–38 was nearly £12½ million and which in 1954–55 had risen to about £62 million.