§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his oral answer,Official Report, column 965, to the hon. Member for Romsey (Mr. Colvin) of 26 June, by how much the 101W projected savings from the phasing out of the assisted places scheme fall short of the cost of reducing class sizes for five, six and seven-year-olds. [6241]
§ Mr. ByersAbout £100 million will have been saved from the phasing out of the assisted places scheme by the year 2000, and annually thereafter the savings will be in excess of £100 million a year. That is adequate funding to fulfil our pledge to reduce class sizes for five, six and seven-year-olds by the end of this Parliament.