HC Deb 13 December 1985 vol 88 c789W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide figures for the United Kingdom for the proportion of the gross domestic or gross national product spent on education comparable with those of other European countries referred to in his Department's publication "Selected National Education Systems".

Sir Keith Joseph

The information is as follows:

Country Financial year beginning in Expenditure on education as a percentage of gross national product
France 1980 *5.l
Germany, Federal Republic of 1980 4.7
Italy 1979 5.0
Netherlands 1981 †7.9
United Kingdom 1981 5.4
1983 ‡5.2
* Metropolitan France.
† Revised.
‡ Provisional.

Source: United Kingdom—Department of Education and Science Other Countries — UNESCO Statistical Yearbook, 1984, republished by DES in "Selected National Education Systems".