§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Yeovil on 20 February, Official Report, column 840, concerning the proportions of expenditure covered by education support grants and in-service training grants, what administrative arrangements ensure that such grants cover the intended proportion of outturn expenditure; what proportion has total outturn expenditure borne to total approved budgeted expenditure for each programme in each relevant year; what amounts of grants have been paid in each year to cover outturn expenditure in excess of approved budgeted expenditure for each programme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldIn the case of both these grants, the Secretary of State approves ahead of the year in question a specific sum of expenditure in each local education authority to be eligible for grant. He pays grant at a fixed percentage on that approved expenditure, or such lower expenditure as the local education authority claims. If the authority spends more than the approved sum, the Secretary of State does not increase the grant; and he does not ask authorities to inform him of out-turns which are higher than the approved sum.