Senator Allison asked the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, upon notice, on 30 March 1999:

(1) (a) What has been the department's total expenditure to date on the Socioeconomic Simulation (SES) project and the Education Resources Index review; and (b) can an itemised list be provided of consultants used and payments made to them.

(2) Can the Minister provide advice pertaining to the possible application of the funding model examined in the SES project to public schools funding.

(3) Can a copy be provided of: (a) any estimates employed indicating the cost to public education spending should the model be implemented; and (b) the department's report to the Minister on the SES project.

Senator Ellison (Special Minister of State) —The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1) (a) Departmental costs to date for the Review of the Education Resources Index total $307,234, including an amount of $213,459 for the SES Simulation Project. These amounts include the cost of consultancies but do not include Departmental running costs such as salaries.

(b) Payments have been made for consultancies as follows:

KPMG Consulting—$7,145.60; Direction Group Pty Ltd—$111,840.00; MapInfo Australia Pty Ltd—$69,390.00; Australian Bureau of Statistics— $8,960.00; Australian Council for Educational Research—$4,200.00.

(2) The application of an SES based approach to public school funding is not under consideration by the Commonwealth.

(3) (a) As the funding model applies to non-government schools, no estimates of costs in relation to public schools have been made.

(b) The SES Simulation Project Report will be released when the Government's decisions on future funding arrangements for non-government schools are announced.