Independent School Fees (Hansard, 8 November 2001)

§ Mr. Brady

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations she has received on her policy relating to the provision of support towards the cost of independent school fees by her Department. [12005]

	1996–97
Age at end of financial year	Age retirement	Ill-health retirement	Premature retirement	All retirements	Left for reasons other than retirement
Less than 25	0	¹ —	0	¹ —	400
25 to 29	0	¹ —	0	¹ —	3,600
30 to 34	0	¹ —	0	¹ —	3,300
35 to 39	0	100	0	100	2,600
40 to 44	0	400	0	400	3,200
45 to 49	0	1,200	0	1,200	3,200
50 to 54	0	1,800	4,500	6,300	1,700
55 to 59	¹ —	1,100	4,500	5,600	700
60 and over	1,700	100	1,300	3,200	200
Total	1,700	4,800	10,300	16,800	18,900
¹ less than 50

Age at end of financial year	Age retirement	Ill-health retirement	Premature retirement	All retirements	Left for reasons other than retirement
Less than 25	0	0	0	0	500
25 to 29	0	¹ —	0	¹ —	4,100
30 to 34	0	¹ —	0	¹ —	3,900
35 to 39	0	100	0	100	2,900
40 to 44	0	300	0	300	3,700

408W

§ Mr. Timms

[holding answer 2 November 200I]: Earlier this year I received representations from the Independent Schools Council and others on proposals for more open access to independent schools. Their proposals sought Government assistance to subsidise the cost of school fees that could not be met by children's parents. However, the Government have a manifesto commitment from 1997 to phase out the Assisted Places Scheme (APS) and to use the available resources to raise standards and enhance opportunities for children in maintained schools. Savings from phasing out the APS are going towards the significant reduction in infant class sizes, as demonstrated in the achievements of the past four years. Any new scheme that would assist relatively few children to attend independent schools would be incompatible with the long-standing commitment to phase out APS.