§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the expenditure of Scottish schools on books and equipment for the latest year for which figures are available. [69417]
§ Mrs. Liddell[holding answer 8 February 1999]: Total expenditure by education authorities in Scotland on text and library books, and educational tools, equipment and materials for nursery, primary, secondary and special schools was £52.2 million in 1996–97, the latest year for which information is available. Estimates are not available for such expenditure in future years, but future expenditure should reflect additional resources for education made available in the Budgets of 1997 and 1998 and the Comprehensive Spending Review. In particular, additional resources of £2.4 million are being allocated to local authorities this financial year for books for school libraries, in support of the National Year of Reading. From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
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