To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much capital allocation has been given to Liverpool city council since 1985 to remove surplus places in schools. [36438]

This information is available only for the period from April 1990. Over that period, Liverpool education authority has been allocated some £12 million in annual capital guidelines for the removal of surplus places in its schools. A further £9 million in grant aid, representing 85 per cent. of governors' costs, has been approved for the removal of surplus places in voluntary aided schools. The total amount is therefore £21 million.