HC Deb 05 June 1972 vol 838 cc30-1W
Mr. Hornby

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage of the gross national product spent on education in Great Britain in 1971–72; and what are the corresponding figures for member countries of the European Economic Community.

Mr. van Straubenzee

The figures for 1971–72 are not available. For comparison with the latest figures for the EEC countries given in the 1970 UNESCO Statistical Yearbook and listed below, the percentage of the gross national product spent on education in the United Kingdom in 1968 has been estimated at 5.7.

Expenditure on education as % of g.n.p.
Belgium (1968) 5.0
France (1968) 4.4
Germany (1968) 3.6
Italy (1968) 4.8
Luxembourg (1968) 5.3
Netherlands (1967 6.9

The education systems of the various countries have salient differences which can affect the comparability of these figures, and care should be exercised in any use made of them.

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