HC Deb 01 March 1956 vol 549 cc143-4W
Dr. King

asked the Minister of Education what percentage of the Budgets of 1938 and 1955, respectively, were spent on education; and what was the number of schoolchildren in each of these years.

Sir D. Eccles

Exchequer expenditure on education including universities in 1955–56 is estimated to be 7.11 per cent. of all Government ordinary expenditure, compared with 5.95 per cent. in 1938–39. The number of pupils at grant-aided primary and secondary schols, excluding special schools, was 7,460,000 in 1955 compared with 6,322,000 in 1938. The figures for educational expenditure and the numbers of children relate to England, Wales and Scotland. Capital expenditure has increased very substantially in comparison with pre-war.