§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is his estimate of the cost of keeping surplus places in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools;
(2) what is his estimate of the number of surplus places in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools; and if he will give his answer in tabular form by local education authority.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe premises-related costs at current prices of retaining a surplus primary and secondary place are estimated to be £140 and £230 a year respectively. There are additional but unquantified teaching costs, and opportunity costs arising from inefficient retention of buildings and land.
26WIt is estimated that in January 1989 there were approximately 800,000 surplus primary school places and 860,000 surplus secondary school places in England. Information about the number of surplus places in individual local education authorities is not held centrally.