§ Mr. David Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of Scotland's gross domestic product was spent on education in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe information, in respect of the education expenditure within my right hon. and learned Friend's responsibility is set out in the table below :
Per cent. 1981 7.9 1982 7.5 1983 7.2 11984 7.0 11985 6.6 1 Figures are provisional. Notes:
(1) GDP figures used are at factor cost by calendar year, expenditure figures are for financial years, ie the 1981 percentage is expenditure in 1981–82 as a percentage of GDP in 1981.
(2) The average cash growth in GDP for the years quoted was 8.6 per cent., while the average cash growth in education spending was 4.1 per cent., hence the latter declines as a percentage of the former.