To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children with special educational needs in Suffolk have been educated outside that county in each year since 1997; and what the cost was to the local education authority of that provision. (314872)

It is not possible to provide all of the information requested on pupil numbers and costs as it would involve disproportionate costs. Table 1 provides information on the amount spent by Suffolk local authority on fees for pupils at independent special schools and abroad in the financial years 2000-01 to 2009-10. Information for earlier years is not available. Table 2 provides the number of pupils from Suffolk local authority educated in non-maintained special schools for the years 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2009. Residency information for pupils attending independent schools is not collected. Information for years prior to 2003 is not available on a comparable basis.