§ Mr. Marksasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what priority she is giving to primary education in the field of the supply of books and equipment.
§ Mrs. ThatcherThis is a matter for the local education authorities; but the rate support grant settlement agreed by the Government last December provides for improvement factors of 3½ per cent. and 3 per cent. respectively in the estimates of relevant expenditure on non-teaching costs, including books and equipment, in the financial years 1971–72 and 1972–73 for schools and colleges maintained by authorities. These rates are substantially higher than those in the last settlement which covered the previous two years.