HC Deb 05 July 1956 vol 555 c131W
90. Mr. M. Stewart

asked the Minister of Education what proportion the sums spent by his Department and by local authorities on public education formed of the total national income in 1938 and 1955, respectively.

Sir D. Eccles

1.897 per cent. and 2.664 per cent. respectively.

91. Mr. M. Stewart

asked the Minister of Education the average sum, measured in 1938 money values, spent from national and local revenues on the education of each child in maintained schools, in the last financial year and in the financial year 1937–38, respectively.

Sir D. Eccles

The average expenditure per pupil in maintained and assisted primary and secondary schools in 1955–56 was £44, excluding the cost of school milk and meals. The corresponding figure for 1937–38 is estimated at £15. Since there is no index suitably constructed to measure changes in the prices of the goods and services used in education, I cannot express last year's figure in terms of 1938 values.