§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the estimated annual cost of providing the helpline to answer questions from the public on grant-maintained status for schools.
§ Mr. ForthThe helpline is a pilot scheme which began on 1 February and will run for at least six weeks. Decisions about extending the service will be made in due course in the light of experience of the pilot.
The estimated running costs of the pilot are £25,000. A further sum, estimated at £200,000, is being spent to inform the public of the availability of the service in the national press and magazines.