HC Deb 06 November 1995 vol 265 c628W
Mr. Hutton

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils(a) in each local education authority band and (b) in each region received support under the assisted places scheme in each of the past five years. [40938]

Mrs. Gillan

Information on the place of residence of pupils in the assisted places scheme is not collected centrally. Many schools serve wide catchment areas and may offer places to pupils from outside the local authority area in which they are situated. I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) gave to the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mr. French) on 3 July,Official Report, columns 35–37, containing information on the numbers of assisted place holders at schools situated within each local authority area for the academic year 1994–95. Information for earlier years is not readily available.

The numbers of assisted place holders within each region for each of the last five years are given in the table: