§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the likely liability of Her Majesty's Government for the funding of the European school at Culham in the financial years 1989–90, 1990–91 and financial years thereafter; and if he will indicate the principal items of expenditure for each year and the number of pupils and staff at the school in the current year.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe cost of maintaining the European schools is shared between individual member states and the European Commission. In the case of the European school at Culham the Government are responsible for the costs of maintaining the school's premises and for the costs of the national salaries of the United Kingdom teachers which it seconds to the school. Premises costs in 1989–90 were £219,000, and in 1990–91 are expected to amount to £456,000; costs in future years have yet to be settled. Salaries costs for United Kingdom teachers in 1989–90 were £346,000, and in 1990–91 are expected to amount to about £400,000; subject to national salaries increases for teachers in the United Kingdom, expenditure in future years is expected to be on the same pattern. There will be 827 pupils and 111 teaching staff, of whom 18 will be United Kingdom teachers, in the school at the start of the academic year beginning this September.