§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students currently attend sixth forms in comprehensive schools; and what is his estimate of the annual cost to public funds of educating them in 1998–99. [44801]
§ Dr. HowellsThe current number of students in school sixth forms is not available. In January 1997, the most recent month for which figures are available, the number of sixth form students in comprehensive schools was 254,532. The amount within the Standard Spending Assessment allocated to schools' post-16 provision is142W £1,137.7m for 1998–99. These figures can give only a broad indication of the actual cost of educating students in comprehensive school sixth forms because (i) the spending allocation covers all post-16 state school provision, not just comprehensive schools; (ii) spending is a matter for local authorities' own discretion; and (iii) schools' budgets are unhypothecated.
§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students currently attend sixth form colleges; and what is his Department's estimate of the cost of educating them in 1998–99. [44802]
§ Dr. HowellsProvisional figures show that there were 160,300 students studying on 1 November 1997 in sixth form colleges in England. The Further Education Funding Council's overall allocation for 1998–99 to sixth form colleges is £326.1 million.