§ 25. Mr. Jim Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the effects of public expenditure cuts on the education service.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleThe main effects will fall on local authorities, which are responsible for more than four-fifths of total expenditure on education. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I, with other Ministers, issued a circular last week indicating that the Government expected local authorities to reduce their current expenditure this year by around 3 per cent. compared with the level envisaged in the rate support grant settlement last autumn. It is for each local authority to decide how to achieve these reductions. In addition, the reductions in expenditure controlled by my Department will mean less resources for the renovation and adaptation of educational buildings and economies for universities and other colleges.
§ 44. Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what will be the estimated effects on the number of teachers employed of the Budget and the Government's proposals to restrict the rate support grant.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleAs I explained today in reply to a question from the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, South (Mr. Janner), the effects will depend mainly on decisions to be taken by individual local authorities.