HC Deb 17 July 1986 vol 101 cc578-9W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, for the United Kingdom, the amount spent on education as a proportion of the gross domestic product for each year since 1970–71, together with the amounts spent on (a) nursery, (b) primary and secondary and (c) higher education, expressed as a proportion of the gross domestic product for each year.

Mr. Chris Patten

The readily available information is shown in the following table for selected years. Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Expenditure* on education as a percentage of GDP
United Kingdom
Financial year Nursery schools† as percentage of GDP Primary and Secondary schools as percentage of GDP Further and Higher education‡ as percentage of GDP All Education and Related expenditure|| as percentage of GDP
1970–71 0.01 2.65 1.39 5.19
1975–76 0.03 3.44 1.51 6.27
1979–80 0.02 2.74 1.24 5.09
1980–81 0.02 2.95 1.35 5.42
1981–82 0.02 2.93 1.34 5.39
1982–83 0.02 2.85 1.32 5.27
1983–84 0.02 2.76 1.33 5.19
* Includes central and local government expenditure, current and capital.
† Most pre.school education takes place in primary schools at an estimated cost in 1983–84 of £332 million (current expenditure).
‡ (Includes further and adult education, universities, teacher training—tuition and residence.
|| Includes additional items not shown in the other groupings, such as special education, and remaining elements of education and related expenditure, such as administration, youth service, physical training and maintenance grants and allowances. Also inclues SET or VAT incurred on the expenditure.

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