§ 22. Mr. Patrick ThompsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for amending the assisted places scheme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FallonThe amendments to the Education (Assisted Places) Regulations 1989 were debated in the House on 17 July (Official Report, col. 461–73). This year we have had to make some necessary economies in the uprating of parental income tables, in the level of fee increases which participating schools charge assisted pupils and in the proposed clearing house arrangements for the redistribution of vacant assisted places.
§ Mr. StrawTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the schools involved in the assisted places scheme, with(a) the total number of pupils on rolls and (b) the number of assisted pupils, and the percentage which (b) bears to (a), for each school, for the latest year available.
§ Mr. FallonI refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Durham, North-West (Ms. Armstrong) on 16 July 1991 at col.160–62. The percentage of assisted pupils in participating schools ranges from less than 1 per cent. to just under 50 per cent.