HC Deb 30 July 1974 vol 878 cc154-6W
Mr. Stephen Ross

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an estimate of the total cost of teachers' salaries in the current financial year; and what percentage of this amount is borne by the national Exchequer.

Mr. Prentice

I have been asked to reply.

The total cost of teachers' salaries in England and Wales in the current financial year is estimated at approximately £1,440 million at 1974 survey prices. The teachers' salary bill is part of the relevant expenditure which in total attracts 60.5 per cent. rate support grant.

Mr. Stephen Ross

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if teachers' salaries were paid in total by the national Exchequer, what percentage of the total expenditure on education would still be borne by local authorities.

Mr. Prentice

I have been asked to reply.

If teachers' salaries were paid in total by the national Exchequer, and assuming that the remainder of relevant expenditure on education continued to attract the current 60.5 per cent. rate support grant, it is estimated that local authorities in England and Wales would then need to find from their own resources approximately

Name of company Number of shares held
British Nuclear Design & Construction Ltd. 260,000 £1 Ordinary shares
British Petroleum Company Limited 186,092,307 Ordinary £1 stock
1,000 £1 8 % Cumulative First Preference Stock
British Sugar Corporation 1,125,000 £1 Ordinary shares
Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Limited 1,500,000 £1 Ordinary shares
Dunford and Elliott Limited 271,357 25p Ordinary shares
International Computers (Holdings) Limited 3,500,000 £1 "C" Ordinary shares
Kearney and Trecker Marwin Limited* 300,000 Redeemable Convertible "A" Third Preference shares of £1
100,000 8½% Redeemable Convertible "B" Third Preference shares of £1
400,000 7½% Redeemable Participating non-convertible Fourth Preference shares of £1
George Kent Limited 4,261,757 Ordinary shares of 50p
Mersey Docks and Harbour Company 4,137,265 10p Ordinary shares
Norton Villiers Triumph Limited 3,500,000 £1 "A" Redeemable Preference shares
1,372,000 £1 "B" Redeemable Convertible Preference shares
Nuclear Enterprises Limited 7,353 £1 "B" Ordinary shares
SB(Realisations) Limited? 42,050 5% Redeemable Cumulative £1 Preference shares
581,302 25p Ordinary shares
250,000 25p "A" Ordinary shares
Suez Finance Company 645,591 FF100 Capital shares
Toplis & Harding (Middle East) Limited (in liquidation) 997 50p shares
Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Limited (in liquidation) 875,000 £1 Ordinary shares
12,000,000 25p Ordinary shares
Details of shareholdings held by nationalised industries and other public corporations are shown in their annual reports and accounts.
* Funds of up to £3.5 million are being made available to Kearney and Trecker Marwin Limited through a new holding company in which the Department of Industry will initially hold 50 per cent. of the ordinary shares. Details of the scheme have not yet been finalised.
† SB(Realisations), in which the Government have a 100 per cent. shareholding, is the holding company for their 69.5 per cent. interest in Short Brothers and Harland.

20 per cent. of the total expenditure on education.

Mr. Stephen Ross

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount the transfer of the whole of the cost of teachers' salaries to the national Exchequer would reduce the burden of rates falling on the ratepayer.

Mr. Prentice

I have been asked to reply.

In 1974–75, in England and Wales, an estimated £570 million at 1974 survey prices.