To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the average capital cost per pupil of (a) an academy and (b) a local education authority controlled state secondary school; and if he will make a statement. (150813)

The average capital cost per pupil of an academy is £20,400. This figure has been calculated by reference to the actual or estimated capital cost of establishing the first 91 academies in relation to their pupil capacity.

Comparable figures for maintained secondary schools constructed in recent years are unavailable centrally. But a typical cost per pupil for construction of a 1,000-pupil maintained secondary would be in the range of £18,750 to £22,900 per pupil, excluding site acquisition costs.

There are considerable variations in building costs according to region and the nature of sites.