§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take into account rates of truancy when considering the expenditure requirements of inner city education authorities.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe needs of inner city authorities for spending on education are assessed as part of the assessment of grant-related expenditure for rate support grant purposes. There is an additional educational needs allowance based on socio-economic factors, but we do not believe that it would be desirable to include in the assessment a direct measure of truancy.