HL Deb 21 October 1969 vol 304 cc1709-10WA
LORD RAGLAN

asked Her Majesty's Government:

1. What was the cost in 1968-69 of maintaining the following sectarian educational establishments:

  1. (a) Nursery schools;
  2. (b) Primary schools;
  3. (c) Secondary schools;
  4. (d) Colleges of Education;
  5. (e) Theological Schools or colleges;
  6. (g) Other educational establishments.

2. How much of these costs were for:

  1. (a) Building;
  2. (b) Maintenance of buildings.

3. What loans these establishments received, and at what interest.

4. What contribution the relevant churches or sects made towards these establishments.

BARONESS PHILLIPS

The available information for England and Wales in 1968-69 is as follows:

  1. (i) Local authorities meet all the current expenditure of voluntary schools, including denominational schools. It is not possible to distinguish 1710 this expenditure from that on county and other voluntary schools.
  2. (ii) Grants by the Department of Education and Science equivalent to 80 per cent. of the cost of approved building work at voluntary aided denominational schools totalled nearly £15 million. The denominations met the remaining 20 per cent., with the help of loans from the Department (at interest rates ranging from 7⅜ per cent. to 8⅞ per cent.) of a further £2-5 million.
  3. (iii) Of the current expenditure of £7-2 million of denominational direct grant schools, £2-7 million was; provided in grants from the Department, £3-5 million in fees and grants from local authorities and the remainder in fees paid by parents. The schools receive no assistance from public funds towards capital expenditure.
  4. (iv) The whole of the net current expenditure of voluntary denominational colleges of education, totalling £16-5 million, was met by grants from the Department. The Department's grants for capital expenditure, representing 80 per cent. of the total cost, were about £2 million. The remainder was met from voluntary funds. No loans were made from public funds.
  5. (v) No grants or loans from public funds were made to other denominational educational establishments.

House adjourned at twenty-three minutes before seven o'clock