§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much of the expenditure by her Department in each of the years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000, (e) 2000–01, (f) 2001–02 and (g) 2002–03 (estimated) was allocated with reference to the Index of Multiple Deprivation; which expenditure programmes are allocated with respect to this index and other measures of relative geographic deprivation; and if she will make a statement. [8932]
§ Estelle Morris[holding answer 25 October 2001]: Department for Education and Skills expenditure is allocated according to a variety of methods. Expenditure on the following programmes, none of which existed prior to 1998–99, which is allocated with reference to the Indices of Multiple Deprivation and the 1998 Index of Local Deprivation, is shown in the table.
The vast majority of programmes targeted at schools serving deprived areas make use of recent data regarding numbers of children in receipt of free school meals. This is because these data are up to date and are at school-level. Figures for these programmes, other programmes allocated using different measures, and any relevant programmes that finished before the current financial year, have not been included in the table, because this information could have been obtained only at disproportionate cost.