§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made concerning the unit costs of material, textbooks, samples, maps or other aids including films, videos or filmstrips, models, globes or other equipment required as capital and revenue expenditure in order to provide for the geography curriculum and programme of study specified in SI 1991, No. 678.
§ Mr. EggarMy right hon. and learned Friend had general regard to the resource implications of the attainment targets and programmes of study specified in the document attached to SI 1991, No. 678. However, it is 467W for each school to decide what, if any, additional equipment it requires to deliver the national curriculum. In 1991–92, grants will be available to support up to £15 million of expenditure by local education authorities on equipment for the national curriculum.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the amount of specialised space required by current school building regulations in respect of studies in geography consequent on the requirements of SI 1991, No. 678 in terms of room units or floor space, including storage space, per thousand pupils or similar ratio.
§ Mr. EggarThe minimum teaching accommodation requirements set out in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 refer only to the overall area to be provided. The requirements do not specify space standards for particular subjects of the curriculum.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the relationship between the programme of study and attainment targets specified in his approved geography curriculum, as set out in SI 1991, No. 678, and the general certificate of secondary education in geography.
§ Mr. EggarAlthough GCSE courses in geography are currently unaffected, with effect from autumn 1994 all GCSE geography syllabuses will have to reflect the curriculum requirements outlined in SI 1991, No. 678.