According to the Junior Defence Minister, Kevan Jones, the Ministry of Defence spent more than £170 million last year on helping service personnel pay for independent education of their children, reports the Scotsman. This was some £10 million more than the year before. The money is paid via the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA), to allow children of armed forces personnel achieve a stable education against a background of frequent parental postings both at home and overseas.