Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much, in each of the next five years, they estimate (a) would have been spent under the assisted places scheme had the previous government's plans been followed; (b) will be spent under the assisted places scheme; and (c) will be disbursed by local education authorities to schools to cover the additional costs which they will incur in educating children who would, under the previous government's plans, have received assisted places, but now will not.
§ The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone)The previous published expenditure plans for the assisted places schemes in England, Scotland and Wales together for the years 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000 were £159 million, £181 million and £202 million respectively. The Government's spending plans for 1998–99 onwards will be announced in due course and will take account of the savings progressively released from phasing out the schemes. There will be no significant additional burden on local education authorities from educating children who would otherwise have entered the assisted places schemes each year.