HC Deb 14 December 1995 vol 268 cc738-9W
Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made by her Department in taking forward proposals for the expansion of the assisted places scheme; and how much her Department estimates this will cost in the future financial years for which figures are available when this has been achieved. [5822]

Mrs. Gillan

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) on 29 November,Official Report, columns 711–12 about arrangements for the expansion of the assisted places scheme. As to the cost of the expansion in future years, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 4 December, Official Report, column 117.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which independent sector schools charged(a) the highest and (b) the lowest level of fees to pupils covered by the assisted places scheme in the academic year 1994–95; and what charges were levied. [5826]

Mrs. Gillan

The school which charged the highest fee in academic year 1994–95 was Charterhouse, at £9,459 in respect of its sixth form assisted pupils. Salesian college, Farnborough charged the lowest fee at £2,604.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much her Department has spent on the operation of the assisted places scheme in each year since 1981; how many(a) pupils and (b) institutions were covered by the scheme; and what was the overspend on the budget allocated to the scheme. [5791]

Mrs. Gillan

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett), on 24 October,Official Report, column 623, for the information about expenditure and the numbers of pupils covered by the scheme. The number of independent schools participating in the scheme for each academic year since 1981 is given in the following table:

Assisted places scheme
Academic year Number of participating schools
1981–82 220
1982–83 220
1983–84 223
1984–85 226
1985–86 226
1986–87 226
1987–88 226
1988–89 226
1989–90 278
1990–91 295
1991–92 295
1992–93 295
1993–94 295
1994–95 294

The figures relate to England only.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools covered by the assisted places scheme received(a) more than £1 million, (b) over £750,000 (c) over £500,000 and (d) over £250,000 under the assisted places scheme for each academic year since 1981. [5819]

176. Mrs. Gillan

The information requested for each academic year since 1981 is not available and could be derived only at disproportionate cost. Information is available in respect of the academic year 1994–95; the number of participating schools in each category is(a) four, (b) 19, (c) 76 and (d)

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many independent sector schools have had(a) more than 25 per cent.,(b) more than 50 per cent. and (c) less than 5 per cent. of their rolls made up of pupils covered by the assisted places scheme. [5829]

47. Mrs. Gillan

The information requested is available in respect of the academic year 1994–95; the number of schools in each category is(a) 44, (b) 1 and (c)