asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of student unions with publicly paid officers in (a) universities, (b) polytechnics, (c) colleges of education and (d) colleges of further education; and what estimates she has of their overall cost to public funds in the latest year for which figures are available.

There is none. The cost of paid officers is met by the student union concerned. My Department does not collect information on the numbers involved.