HC Deb 21 March 2000 vol 346 cc510-1W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the(a) SSA and (b) total estimated spending per head in each local education authority in Tyne and Wear in each year from 1995–96 to 1999–2000; and if he will estimate the comparable figures for 2000–2001; and what assessment he has made of the impact of changes in (i) school population, (ii) overall population and (iii) take-up of free school meals on these figures. [115286]

Ms Estelle Morris

[holding answer 20 March 2000]: The tables list (a) the SSA per pupil, calculated by adding primary and secondary SSA together and dividing by total

Table A: SSA per pupil
Local Education Authority
Gateshead Newcastle upon Tyne North Tyneside South Tyneside Sunderland
1995–96 2,223 2,337 2,124 2,211 2,200
1996–97 2,299 2,401 2,237 2,305 2,299
1997–98 2,355 2,461 2,295 2,409 2,379
1998–99 2,471 2,599 2,412 2,530 2,500
1999–2000 2,597 2,736 2,529 2,662 2,625
2000–01 2,721 2,878 2,653 2,800 2,743

Note:

Cash figures: no allowances have been made for Nursery Vouchers, or for changes in SSA methodology.

Table B: Spend per pupil
Local Education Authority
Gateshead Newcastle upon Tyne North Tyneside South Tyneside Sunderland
1995–96 1,897 1,985 1,892 1,753 1,871
1996–97 1,934 2,119 1,928 1,771 1,880
1997–98 1,937 2,167 1,938 1,767 1,870

Changes in the size of the school population do not have a direct impact on the SSA per pupil, nor do changes in the overall population and take up of free school meals, since they do not form part of the calculation of an authority's education SSA. No assessment can be made of the impact of changes in population and take up of free school meals on overall expenditure per pupil.