§ Mr. Strangasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much rate support grant each regional authority in Scotland received in each of the past five years, expressed in revenue and capital categories, respectively; and what percentage this constituted of actual expenditure by each regional authority in each year.
§ Mr. AncramRate support grant provides general support for the revenues of local authorities; it is not attributable to any type of expenditure. The grant expressed as a percentage of relevant current expenditure (which includes loan charges arising front capital expenditure) is as follows:
participating in the assisted places scheme as a percentage of the total fee income of the school for 1981–82 and 1982–83.
§ Mr. Allan StewartThis information is not held centrally. The allocation of fee remission grant is not related to the total fee income of the participating schools.
§ Mr. O'Neillasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the schools participating in the assisted places scheme; and if he will indicate the method by which they decide which students will participate in the scheme.
§ Mr. Allan StewartI refer the hon. Gentleman to my right hon. Friend's reply on 30 June 1983 to my hon. Friend the Member for Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Mr. Hirst). The schools which are not separately listed in that reply are as follows
Merchant Company: The Mary Erskine school; Daniel Stewart's and Melville college; George Watson's college.West of Scotland Schools Company: Laurel Bank school; Westbourne school for girls; Park school; St. Columba's school.It is a matter for the individual school to determine its arrangements for the admission of eligible children.—[Vol. 44, c. 19.]
§ Mr. O'Neillasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to obtain the accounts of each of the schools participating in the assisted places scheme for the years available from 1981–82 and place them in the Library.
§ Mr. Allan StewartUnder the terms of the Education (Assisted Places) (Scotland) Regulations 1982 my right 265W hon. Friend receives from participating schools such accounts as are necessary for the proper discharge of his functions in relation to the assisted places scheme. It is not my right hon. Friend's policy to make more generally available such information as is provided to him for a specific purpose such as this.
§ Mr. O'Neillasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to obtain and place in the Library the prospectuses of each of the schools participating in the assisted places scheme.
§ Mr. Allan StewartI will arrange for this to be done as soon as possible.