To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much central Government money was spent per capita in 1998 in England on helping schools meet special educational needs. [82211]

Most funding for school education is allocated to local authorities by way of unhypothecated grant. Information on total actual spending by local education authorities and schools in meeting special educational needs is not collected centrally. The 1997 Green Paper "Excellence for all children: meeting special educational needs" estimated that some £2.5 billion per year is spent meeting special educational needs, representing on average some £1,600 per child identified as having such needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much central Government money was spent per capita in 1998 in England on grants to (a) voluntary aided schools and (b) voluntary controlled schools. [82208]

Capital grants totalling £138,184,240 were allocated to voluntary-aided schools in the financial year 1998–99. This equates to £132 per pupil in this sector.Capital grants totalling £18,513,446 were allocated to voluntary-controlled schools in the financial year 1998–99. This equates to £34 per pupil in this sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much central Government money was spent per capita in 1998 in England on (i) primary schools, (ii) secondary schools, (iii) further education colleges and (iv) universities. [82210]

Unit costs for primary and secondary pupils and for full-time equivalent students in FE colleges and HE institutions are set out in the DfEE Departmental Report, Cm 4202, published on 24 March 1999, a copy of which was placed in the Library.The unit costs for primary and secondary pupils in 1997–98 include a provisional central government element of £127 and £35 respectively. Neither the total unit costs nor the central government element include capital spending.The unit costs for FE and HE students include both recurrent spending and support for capital expenditure. The HE unit costs exclude central Government spending on grants and loans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much central Government money was spent per capita in 1998 in England on books and stationery in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools. [82209]

In the 1998 calendar year, primary schools received three grants for reading books, averaging £1,000 per grant. During the same period, secondary schools received two £1,000 grants for reading books. Schools with less than 100 pupils received £10 per capita for each grant allocation. These grants represent