HC Deb 08 December 1992 vol 215 c559W
Mr. Adley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of gross domestic product was spent on education in the current fiscal year for(a) the United Kingdom and (b) other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

Mr. Forman

The readily available information is as follows:

Total Public Expenditure1 on education as a Percentage of Gross National Product (Calender Year)
1988
United Kingdom 24.6
Australia 35.0
Austria 5.7
Belgium 44.9
Canada 7.1
Denmark 7.8
Finland 7.4
France 5.3
Germany (Federal Republic) 4.2
Greece 32.7
Iceland 5.4
Ireland 37.0
Italy 34.8
Japan 54.3
Luxembourg 4.6
New Zealand n/a
Netherlands 6.8
Norway 7.4
Portugal 4.8
Spain 4.3
Sweden 6.7
Switzerland 4.9
Turkey n/a
United States of America 55.3

Sources: UNESCO Statistical Yearbook 1991.

Education Statistics for the United Kingdom 1991.

1 Public subsides to the private sector are included.

2 Excludes expenditure on students at DH establishments on nursing and paramedical courses.

3 1987 data.

4 Ministry of Education only.

5 Estimated. Includes some private funds, but excludes fees.

n/a = not available.