§ Mr. LivseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what factors underlie the differences in the administration arrangements of the assisted places scheme in Wales. [40107]
§ Mr. HainUnder the Education (Schools) Act 1997 and associated Regulations, the Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for the operation of the Assisted Places Scheme (APS) at participating independent schools in Wales.
The Secretary of State has powers to vary, subject to consultation and Parliamentary approval of revised Regulations, certain administrative and financial elements of the Scheme. These include the determination, usually annually, of the relevant income levels in the Parental Contribution Tables and the maximum level of fees and other incidental expenses that may be remitted in relation 203W to APS pupils at participating schools. In practice, any changes in these elements have been consistent across England and Wales in percentage terms.
There are some differences in the coverage of the APS in Wales compared with England. In Wales, the Scheme does not include places for pupils below age 7 nor places at preparatory schools that are not an integral part of a school with secondary provision.