§ Mr. Peter Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate what proportion of polytechnic expenditure is provided directly from the rates of the maintaining local authorities.
§ Dr. BoysonThe great majority of students at polytechnics are on courses of advanced further education, expenditure on which is poolable, within—since 1980–81—the Government's pre-determined overall limit, between all local education authorities in accordance with an agreed formula. Such expenditure ranks as relevant expenditure and is supported by Exchequer grant. Any additional expenditure on advanced further education incurred by individual polytechnics would in principle fall to be met by their maintaining local authorities drawing on such resources as they have available either from the rates or otherwise. It will not be possible to make even a notional estimate of these sums until the outturn information for 1980–81 is available in the autumn.