§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the representations he has received with regard to local education authority expenditure on educational publications; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Keith JosephMy hon. Friend the Member for City of London and Westminster (Mr. Brooke) met representatives of the University, College and Professional Publishers Council on 8 February. My hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) is today meeting representatives of the Educational Publishers Lunch Group. I have received letters from the Publishers Association and other interested groups. The provision of books and equipment is a subject which is part of many discussions which I have had with those with responsibilities for education.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the levels of per capita expenditure on books (a) in Cambridgeshire, (b) in East Anglia and (c) in the rest of England in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Keith JosephThe average expenditure per pupil on books in(a) Cambridgeshire, (b) in East Anglia and (c) in the rest of England in each of the last five years is as follows. Separate figures are shown for primary and secondary pupils both in cash and at 1982–83 prices.
to improve their level of provision per pupil in schools for new books and equipment compared to 1981–82 levels, provided that pay and other costs are contained. No percentage figure was attributed to this improvement as it is for local authorities to determine how the total resources available to them should be deployed, in the light of Government policies, local circumstances and the various pressures on their resources. Actual expenditure on these items will not be known until late 1985.