HC Deb 03 November 1988 vol 139 c719W
Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to ensure that sufficient capital funds are available to enable inner London boroughs to bring schools up to adequate repair and maintenance standards.

Mr. Butcher

The following table shows for the financial year 1987–88 ILEA's budget for repairs, alterations and maintenance to its primary and secondary schools, as compared with outer London boroughs, other metropolitan authorities, and the average for England.

£ per pupil (FTE)
Primary Secondary
ILEA 99.4 133.3
Outer London boroughs 59.6 81.3
Other Metropolitan Authorities 46.8 64.7
England 53.3 71.0

Source: CIPFA Education Statistics 1987–88 Estimates.

These figures show that ILEA spends on a per pupil basis more than half as much again as the outer London boroughs, which in turn spend more than the national average, and significantly more than other metropolitan authorities in England. A very similar relationship prevailed in each of the three previous years.