School Buildings (Hansard, 20 January 1992)

§ Mr. Fallon

Between 1986–1987 and 1989–1990, the last year for which we have final figures, total capital expenditure on maintained schools was over £2.25 billion. This is a substantial sum of money, which has enabled local education authorities and the governors of voluntary-aided schools to make significant improvements to the stock of inadequate school buildings, including facilities for operating the national curriculum in practical oriented subjects.

For its part, the Government have significantly increased the level of annual capital guidelines—ACGs—and capital allocations to voluntary-aided and grant-maintained schools over the last three years to over £700 million in 1992–93. ACGs have increased from £410 million in 1990–91 to £472 million in the current year and £524 million in 1992–93. Grants to voluntary-aided schools have risen from £109 million to £131 million to £150 million over the same period.

Specific further emphasis on improving facilities for teaching technology is the aim of the £25 million technology initiative for 1992–93.

Table 1
Net institutional expenditure¹ per pupil, nursery and primary schools²
Region	1985–86 £	1986–87 £	1987–88 £	1988–89 £	1989–90 £
East Anglia	755	835	930	1,035	1,145
East Midlands	790	875	965	1,070	1,190
North West	780	855	970	1,035	1,140
Northern	825	925	1,040	1,115	1,210
South East	860	950	1,070	1,155	1,275
South West	745	830	935	1,020	1,135
West Midlands	795	875	980	1,065	1,165
Yorkshire and Humberside	845	930	1,010	1,135	1,230

Table 2
Net institutional expenditure¹ per pupil, secondary schools
Region	1985–86 £	1986–87 £	1987–88 £	1988–89 £	1989–90 £
East Anglia	1,055	1,120	1,335	1,515	1,775
East Midlands	1,150	1,315	1,480	1,685	1,865
North West	1,165	1,335	1,525	1,685	1,870
Northern	1,160	1,330	1,515	1,705	1,820
South East	1,265	1,425	1,620	1,765	1,925
South West	1,085	1,235	1,375	1,555	1,720
West Midlands	1,150	1,305	1,480	1,670	1,840
Yorkshire and Humberside	1,110	1,280	1,425	1,640	1,755
¹ Net institutional expenditure covers the direct costs in schools of salaries and wages, premises and certain supplies and services. It does not include the costs of school meals, home to school transport, LEA central administration, and financing costs of capital expenditure. The figures in the tables are derived from local education authorities' returns of their spending to the Department of the Environment and of their pupil numbers to the Department of Education and Science.
² Spending on nursery and primary schools is not collected separately.

Note:

The figures exclude those for the following authorities as their spending returns were not available: 1985–86, Merton, Newham; 1986–87, Haringey, Newham; 1987–88, Ealing, Haringey, Sheffield, Berkshire; 1988–89, Haringey, Manchester, Wakefield; 1989–90, Haringey, Hounslow, Manchester, Wakefield, North Tyneside.