§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of children whose father's occupation is given as being in social class III, IV and V were university or polytechnic students undertaking degree courses in 1986; and what were the comparable figures in 1958, 1961, 1971 and 1981.
Class Vote Description of expenditure Current cash limit Revision Revised cash limit XII 3 Universities etc. 1,708,028 -1,410 1,706,618 XII 4 Central administration 58,309 + 450 58,759 XII 5 Agricultural and Food Research Council 54,427 + 512 54,939 XII 7 Natural Environment Research Council 72,070 + 1,250 73,320 XII 8 Science and Engineering Research Council 357,752 -290 357,462 The increase on vote 4 is needed to cover the running costs of extra staff required to implement the Government's education reforms. A reduction in expenditure on staff seconded to outside bodies means that the associated gross running costs limit is unchanged, but the consequent reduction in receipts for seconded out salaries results in the need for an increase in net provision.
The increase on vote 5 is required to reimburse the Agricultural and Food Research Council for costs incurred by the council in 1987–88 as a result of the sale of the National Seed Development Organisation and the assets of the Plant Breeding Institute.
The increase on vote 7 is to reinforce the work of the British Antarctic Survey.
The increases on votes 4 and 7 are offset by reductions on votes 3 and 8. Of the increase in vote 5, £200,000 will be met from unallocated expenditure provision within the science budget with the remainder charged to the reserve. These changes will not therefore add to the planned total public expenditure.