§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much central Government money was spent per capita in 1998 on helping schools meet special educational needs. [82212]
§ Mrs. Liddell[holding answer 26 April 1999]: In the financial year 1998–99, the Scottish Office provided £6.5 million directly to seven grant-aided special schools in Scotland, and £1.2 million to support training of local authority staff working in special needs. It is not possible to express this in capita terms. Expenditure per pupil in local authority schools is the responsibility of each education authority. Local authority expenditure is supported by Aggregate External Finance. Such support is not specific to particular local authority services and it is for each authority to determine the allocation of all resources at its disposal.
§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much central Government money was spent per capita in 1998 on grants to(a) voluntary aided schools and (b) voluntary controlled schools. [82214]
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§ Mrs. Liddell[holding answer 26 April 1999]: There are no such schools in Scotland.
§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much central Government money was spent per capita in 1998 on(a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) further education colleges and (d) universities. [82213]
§ Mrs. Liddell[holding answer 26 April 1999]: Direct expenditure by the Scottish Office on the education of school pupils is limited to grants made available to Jordanhill School, two self-governing schools, and certain residential special schools. Grants are also made available for pupils at certain independent schools under the Assisted Places Scheme. Comprehensive information on the division of these resources between the primary and secondary sectors is not available. Expenditure per pupil in education authority schools is the responsibility of each education authority. Local authority expenditure is supported by Aggregate External Finance. Such support is not specific to particular local authority services and it is for each authority to determine the allocation of all resources at its disposal.
The average central Government funding, in the form of grant to further education colleges in Scotland, per full-time equivalent student in financial year 1996-97 (the latest year for which final student data are available) was £3,418.
Information is not held in the format requested for university students. However, based on the allocation to higher education institutions, including universities, made by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council in 1998-99, the main source of central Government funding, an estimate of spend per full-time equivalent student is £5,465. This does not include additional central Government money which individual institutions may access through a variety of programmes nor spending on the maintenance element of student support.