§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how Scotland's spending on education, expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product, compares with Western European countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Allan Stewart[pursuant to his reply, 20 May 1985, c. 292]: In 1983–84 expenditure on educational services in Scotland, including universities was £1,785 million, representing 8.3 per cent. of the provisional gross domestic product for Scotland. The latest available information in respect of a range of European countries is given in the table:
448W
Expenditure on Education as percentage of gross domestic product Country Per cent. Year Austria 5.9 1982 Belgium 5.9 1981
Country Per cent. Year Denmark 7.4 1981 Finland 5.5 1981 France 5.0 1981 Germany, Federal 5.0 1981 Republic Greece 2.2 1979 Ireland 7.3 1981 Italy 5.8 1981 Luxembourg 6.6 1981 Netherlands 6.8 1981 Norway 8.5 1980 Portugal 4.5 1981 Spain 2.6 1979 Sweden 8.8 1982 Switzerland 5.1 1981