§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the annual recurrent cost of reducing infant class sizes to a maximum of 30 pupils. [72504]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisWe have already allocated £22 million in revenue funding in 1998–99 for the reduction of infant class sizes. Over the next three financial years, £400 million will be available to meet the revenue costs of implementing our pledge:
- 1999–2000: £80 million
- 2000–2001: £160 million
- 2001–2002: £160 million.
In addition, there will be £160 million over the same period to meet the capital costs of implementing the pledge.