§ Mrs. LiddellTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many assisted places are available for pupils in Scottish schools in the current session; and what is the average level of assistance. [3921]
§ Mr. Raymond S. RobertsonIndependent schools participating in the assisted places scheme in Scotland are each allocated an amount of fee remission grant for each school session, within which they may provide assistance to individual pupils, in accordance with the rules of the scheme. Some schools have yet to submit grant claims for the 1995–96 school session, so the information requested is not yet available. However, provisional figures indicate that just over 3,000 pupils are currently receiving assistance, at an estimated average cost of around £3,550 per pupil.
I shall write to the hon. Member when the information she has requested is available.