§ Ms Glenda JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils in each local education authority area from black and ethnic minority backgrounds(a) are currently in special schools and (b) are without a mainstream school place.
§ Mr. Robin SquireInformation on the ethnic origin of pupils in certain age cohorts in special schools was collected for the first time in 1994. The data are currently being analysed.
Information on the number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds without a mainstream school place is not collected centrally.
Mr. Robert AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the impact of changes to the standard spending assessment formula on the funding given to local education authorities to meet the needs of children with origins outside predominantly English-speaking countries.
§ Mr. Robin SquireThe changes made to the education standard spending assessment formula for 1994–95 reflect the latest available information about the relative costs of educating children in different circumstances, including those with origins outside predominantly English-speaking countries, so as to make the distribution of grant between authorities fairer. But SSAs are not prescriptive and LEAs are responsible for funding schools according to their own priorities between and within services.