§ 3. Mrs. Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham)What recent discussions he has had with local education authorities in the south of England about funding of schools; and if he will make a statement. [121696]
§ The Minister for School Standards (Mr. David Miliband)Both my right hon. Friend and I have had meetings with a number of representatives from local education authorities in southern England. Officials have held meetings with LEAs to help them if they face difficulties.
§ Mrs. GillanNo matter how many meetings the Minister has, nothing can disguise the crisis facing our schools, particularly in Buckinghamshire, where between 50 and 60 schools will be running deficit budgets this year. With teachers' pension contributions, the withdrawal of many standards fund grants, the impact of the work force agreement and national insurance increases, the costs are outstripping income. The Government are wrecking the education system and demoralising head teachers, governors, parents and pupils. Instead of Ministers behaving like political sheep and bleating out the mantra that there is more money in all our systems, why do they not take some real action and save our schools?
§ Mr. MilibandThe House will be interested to know that the Government have taken £80 million of real action by adding that to the Buckinghamshire total for education spending over the past six years. The hon. Lady can talk as much as she likes about costs in the system. When there are more teachers who are better paid and better supported, we on the Labour Benches are relieved that we have a Government who are willing to invest and cover those costs, rather than cut them, as her party would do.
§ Jim Knight (South Dorset)As my hon. Friend knows from correspondence that I have had with him, the current funding settlement has caused significant problems in Dorset schools, but that is set against an increase of 63 per cent. in schools funding in Dorset in the past six years and significant gains in school buildings in rural and urban areas in my constituency. Head teachers in my constituency are asking when there will be some predictability about levels of funding. What is my hon. Friend doing to help head teachers plan their staffing in the future and the level of education for our children?
§ Mr. MilibandMy hon. Friend has been a doughty champion of schools in his constituency. He has made representations in a serious and committed way, and the point that he makes about the need for long-term predictability and stability is absolutely right. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said on 15 May, we sought a three-year pay settlement in our submission 1185 to the School Teachers Review Body last year. We did not get that, but we are determined to come back to this House and the country and give predictability for the next two years and a funding system on which head teachers can rely.
§ Mr. Julian Brazier (Canterbury)Does the Minister really think it is fair that the recent funding settlement has provided an above-average increase for the constituencies of every member of the Cabinet, but in Kent, we have seen a 3.6 per cent. increase for education when costs are rising by 7.8 per cent.? This year, Kent has balanced the books by slashing overheads and introducing a big rise in council tax. In the next two years, we will see huge, swathing cuts in our schools. Does he think that that is fair?
§ Mr. MilibandThe commitment of the Government has to be that similar pupils in different parts of the country have the same amount of money attached to them. That applies in Kent as it does elsewhere, as we have made clear. The hon. Gentleman will know that an extra £650 per pupil is being spent in Kent in comparison with six years ago. The assurance that I give him—this is a serious point—is that, for the next two years, the final two years of the spending review, we need to come back to the head teachers and the House to secure the predictability and stability that he wants. That is our commitment.