§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the total new expenditure needed to(a) reduce all class sizes for five, six and seven-year-olds to 30 or under and (b) reduce all class sizes for all school children to under 30; and if he will make a statement. [3174]
§ Mr. HainWe will consult the Welsh Local Government Association and Local Education Authorities in Wales in the context of the forthcoming White Paper on Education on implementation of our policy of reducing infant class sizes to 30 pupils or less. That consultation will include an assessment of costs which will vary from area to area. Reduction of all classes to under 30 is not under consideration.
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