HC Deb 26 March 1973 vol 853 cc264-5W
Mr. Edward Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has given to grant-aided schools as to how they should finance the increase in teachers' salaries next month when fees are not permitted to rise because of the counter-inflation provisions.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

The grants to the grant-aided schools for the schools' financial year 1973–74 will take into account increases in teachers' salaries and other costs in the 12 months to April 1973.

The Central Committee of the Grant-Aided Schools in Scotland has been informed that, where schools would be unable, without materially reducing their educational standards, to meet their share of increased maintenance costs, applications for consent to increase school fees would be sympathetically considered in accordance with the Government's counter-inflation provisions.

Mr. Edward Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will be in a position to state the basis on which grants to grant-aided schools will be determined for the session 1973–74.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

Grants to the grant-aided secondary schools for the schools' financial year 1973–74 will be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Grant-Aided Secondary Schools (Scotland) Grant (Amendment) Regulations 1971. I hope to be in a position in late May or early June to inform the managers of each school of the total amount of grant which they may expect to receive in that year.