§ Mr. Fosterasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the reduction in education expenditure for each year since 1979, including planned cash provision for education in the current financial year, (b) the reduction of pupil numbers for each year since 1979, including projections 89W for the current financial year, (c) the reductions of both (a) and (b) expressed as yearly percentages and (d) the total reductions in both numbers and percentages since 1979.
actual planned* 1978–79 1979–80 1978–79 1979–80 Education expenditure (£ million, 1980 Survey prices) 8,440 8,491 8,181 7,840 (i) Year on year charge +51 -310 -341 (ii) Total change -600 (iii) (i) in percentage terms +0.6 -3.6 -4.2 (iv) (ii) in percentage terms †-7.1 Education expenditure, £ million cash 10,800 Pupil numbers (full-time equivalent, financial year average, thousands) 8,506 8,360 8,161 7,913 (i) Year on year charge -146 -199 -248 (ii) Total charge -593 (iii) (i) in percentage terms -1.7 -2.4 -3.0 (iv) (ii) in percentage terms -7.0 * The Government's expenditure plans (Cmnd. 8175). † The equivalent figure for planned current expenditure on schools is -3.0 per cent.