HL Deb 25 July 1991 vol 531 c80WA
Baroness David

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether consideration will be given to raising the £15 million grant given specifically for books for the national curriculum under the Grants for Education Support and Training scheme after the 1992–93 year when more subjects will form part of the national curriculum.

Baroness Blatch

For 1991–92, the Government have introduced a new specific grant for books for the national curriculum within their programme of Grants for Education Support and Training (GEST). The aim is to contribute to the cost of new school book purchases related to the national curriculum, and to increase LEAs' overall level of spending on books. This grant support will be sustained in 1992–93, so that the Government will have paid specific grant on a total of £30 million expenditure in England over the two years. The Government will consider next year the scope for increasing the level of support in the 1993–94 GEST programme.