HC Deb 26 January 1995 vol 253 cc315-7W
Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many independent sector schools have had pupils under the assisted places scheme in each financial year since 1980.

Mr. Robin Squire

The number of independent schools participating in the assisted places scheme for each academic year since the scheme's inception in 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
1989–90 278
1990–91 295
1991–92 295
1992–93 295
1993–94 295

The figures relate to England only

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many independent sector schools have had(a) more than 5 per cent., (b) more than 10 per cent., (c) more than 15 per cent., (d) more than 20 per cent. or (e) more than 25 per cent. of their school roll made up of pupils covered by the assisted places scheme in each financial year since the establishment of the scheme.

Mr. Robin Squire

The information requested is not available for each financial year since the establishment of the scheme and could be derived only at disproportionate cost. Information is available in respect of the academic year 1993–94; the number of schools in each category is(a) 238, (b) 166, (c) 116, (d) 75 and (e) 43. In addition there are 57 schools with less than 5 per cent. assisted pupils.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education which independent sector schools charged(a) the highest and (b) the lowest fees to assisted places scheme pupils on the financial year 1993–94.

Mr. Robin Squire

The school which charged the highest fee in academic year 1993–94 was Charterhouse, in respect of its sixth form assisted pupils. The annual fee was £9,348. Salesian college, Farnborough charged the lowest fee at £2,283 per year.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she has taken to reduce the costs of operating the assisted places scheme.

Mr. Robin Squire

We are committed to providing 35,000 available places in England and Wales and will continue to support this excellent scheme within the resources which can be made available for it. Assisted pupils achieve outstanding results in public examinations and the scheme is good value for money. We must, of course, manage the available resources prudently and have taken steps over the past few years to restrain fee increases for assisted pupils at participating schools.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement about the level of parental contributions to the fees of pupils in the assisted places scheme in the next academic year.

Mr. Robin Squire

Remission of tuition fees under the assisted places scheme is dependent on the level of fees at participating schools and the amount parents can afford to contribute. Subject to parliamentary approval, the parental contribution scales will be adjusted upwards for the school year 1995–96 as set out in the table. Where the relevant income for the appropriate financial year does not exceed £9,572, the tuition fees will be wholly remitted.

Percentage
Part of relevant income to which percentage applies One assisted pupil Each of two assisted pupils Each of three assisted pupils
That part which exceeds £9,406 but does not exceed £10,228 9 6.75 5.25
That part (if any) which exceeds £10,228 but does not exceed £11,063 12 9 7
That part (if any) which exceeds £11,063 but does not exceed £12,720 15 11.25 8.75
That part (if any) which exceeds £12,720 but does not exceed £15,271 21 15.75 12.25
(over) That part (if any) which exceeds £15,271 but does not exceed £18,599 24 18 14
That part (if any) which exceeds £18,599 33 24.75 19.25