HC Deb 05 July 1983 vol 45 cc144-5
13. Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total level of Government financial support for local education authorities in 1982–83; and how much money was withheld from the Inner London education authority.

Mr. Dunn

Government grant to local authorities is paid mainly in the form of rate support grants, which are not hypothecated as between services. Aggregate Exchequer grant totalling £11,119 million was made available in support of expenditure by local authorities in England in 1982–83. No grant was withheld from the Inner London education authority, which under the normal operation of the block grant system was not entitled to any block grant in that year.

Mr. Dubs

It is difficult to follow the Minister's argument. He says that no grant was withheld from ILEA, but it alone among educational authorities receives no support at all from the rate support grant for the education of children in inner London. Will he explain to taxpayers and parents in inner London why they are singled out for such punishment?

Mr. Dunn

ILEA received no block grant in the year mentioned, but it received other Government grants under, for example, the urban aid programme.

Mr. Forman

Do the Government intend to abolish ILEA under their proposals for the metropolitan authorities?

Mr. Dunn

It is our intention to do so.

Sir Nicholas Bonsor

Will my right hon. Friend confirm that the Government intend to abolish this incompetent, inefficient education authority?

Mr. Dunn

We shall replace ILEA with a joint board composed of elected representatives of the inner London boroughs and the City.

Mr. Wilson

On a point of order Mr. Speaker. It is impossible to comprehend what the Minister is saying when he gabbles like that. Perhaps you could arrange elocution lessons for him.

Mr. Speaker

Order. I hope that the House will be charitable. This is the Minister's first appearance at the Dispatch Box.

Mr. Dobson

As Her Majesty's inspectors of schools considered the 96 education authorities in England and Wales and found that only five were satisfactory in all aspects of their inquiries—one of those five was ILEA — why do the Government choose to punish success rather than failure?

Mr. Dunn

ILEA's block grant is a direct result of its exeptionally high level of spending.