9. To ask the Scottish Government how much it spends per pupil, and how this compares with England. (S4O-05664)

Official statistics show that, in 2014-15, average revenue expenditure per primary school pupil in Scotland was £4,814 and average revenue expenditure per secondary school pupil in Scotland was £6,790. Directly comparable figures are not available for England, but research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggests that average funding per pupil in England in 2014-15 was approximately £4,500 in primary schools and £6,000 in secondary schools.

I thank the cabinet secretary for that interesting answer. Will she outline whether total revenue spending on schools in Scotland has risen since the Scottish National Party came into government in 2006-07?

Yes—under the SNP Government since 2006-07, total revenue spending on schools has risen by at least £220 million or 4.8 per cent. Official figures show that councils plan to increase spending by a further £150 million in 2015-16.