HC Deb 13 May 1981 vol 4 cc278-9W
Mr. Spearing

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) if he will tabulate in the Official Report the gross and net cost of each of the "community schools" run by the European Economic Community in £ sterling at the current exchange rate and in ECUs, together with the number of pupils and teachers, full-time equivalents, at each school;

(2) what is the cost of the community school at Culham expressed in £ sterling, including payments in other currencies calculated at the current exchange rate.

Dr. Boyson

I have been asked to reply.

These schools are not Community institutions but are estblished under the Statute of the European School. Information is not available in the form requested, but details are given below of the expenditure of each school in the calendar year 1980 and of the numbers of their pupils and full-time teachers in the school year 1980–81.

The following table shows the budget expenditure of each of the European schools—other than the Culham European School—for the calendar year 1980, and includes the numbers of teachers and pupils at the schools for the current year 1980–81.

Mr. Spearing

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list the international or European service community agreements relevant to the establishment and operation of the community school at Culham, together with any agreements made between the governors of the school and Her Majesty's Government concerning privileges to be accorded to the school or to members of its staff.

Dr. Boyson

I have been asked to reply.

The school at Culham is not a community school but was established by the Statute of the European School. No agreement has yet been concluded under article 28 of the statute between Her Majesty's Government and the board of governors of the European schools concerning privileges to be accorded to the school or to members of its staff.

Mr. Spearing

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the total number of pupils at the community school at Culham; how many are children of European Economic Community officials; how many are local children; how many staff there are; and how many of them are citizens of the United Kingdom.

Dr. Boyson

I have been asked to reply.

There were 388 pupils at the beginning of the school year 1980–81, of whom 140 were entitled children whose parents work at the joint European Torus nuclear research project or are Community officials; the remainder come from homes in the surrounding area and include many whose parents are nationals of other States. Of the 41 teachers employed at the school, 16 are citizens of the United Kingdom.