§ Mr. KaufmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much has been spent by the Government on the assisted places scheme(a) in total, up to but not including the latest available year and (b) in the latest available year; what additional money will be made available in the planned expansion of the scheme; and how many pupils are involved in the latest available year in (i) Manchester grammar school, (ii) Manchester high school for girls and (iii) William Hume's grammar school, Manchester. [2740]
§ Mrs. GillanI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 24 October,Official Report, column 623.
The amount available for the scheme in the supply estimates for the financial year 1995–96 is £104.4 million. Provision for 1996–97, when the scheme's expansion is planned to begin, and for succeeding years will be announced in due course. The numbers of pupils holding assisted places in the current academic year—1995–96— at the three Manchester schools cited are (i) 262, (ii) 179 and (iii) 220 respectively.