HC Deb 28 January 1994 vol 236 cc416-7W
Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what amount and percentage of underspending or overspending has occurred on capital grants to voluntary-aided schools for building work in each of the last three completed financial years; whether his Department has reviewed the reasons for any marked or persistent underspending; and whether there are reasons to expect either underspending or overspending to be reported for 1993–94;

(2) what amount and percentage of underspending or overspending has occurred on capital grants to voluntary-aided schools for repair work in each of the last three completed financial years; whether his Department has reviewed the reasons for any marked or persistent underspending; and whether there are reasons to expect either underspending or overspending to be reported for 1993–94.

Mr. Forth

Details of aided school capital and repair grant estimates, final outturn and percentage under-overspend from 1990–91 to 1992–93 are as follows:

Year Estimate £ million Outturn £ million Percentage under/ overspend
Repairs
1990–91 35.0 41.8 19 overspend
1991–92 47.5 49.1 3 overspend
1992–93 55.0 36.8 33 underspend
Capital
1990–91 71.0 64.0 10 underspend
1991–92 84.2 63.9 24 underspend
1992–93 96.6 81.3 16 underspend

The overall outturn for both programmes for 1990–91 and the two previous years was broadly in balance with the estimate. The main reasons for the recent underspend on the capital programme appear to be attributable to the economic recession, in particular the inability of some governing bodies to fund their 15 per cent. contribution, lower than estimated tender costs and delays caused by contractor liquidations.

The Department is revising its approval, monitoring and in-year reallocation procedures. Expenditure in 1993–94 so far suggests a small overspend on the capital progamme balanced by a corresponding underspend on repairs. However, the predictive value of expenditure so far is limited because a very high proportion of claims are usually submitted in the last two months of the financial year.