HC Deb 11 June 1996 vol 279 cc117-8W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what(a) mechanism and (b) requirement exists for schools to be consulted by their local education authorities over the level of delegation within the local management of schools scheme. [31838]

Mr. Squire

The precise level of delegation to schools in any local education authority—(LEA)—is not a matter upon which consultation is required, although an LEA

1996–97 1995–96 1994–95
Rank Local Education Authority Percentage Potential schools budget delegated Percentage Potential schools budget delegated Rank Percentage Potential schools budget delegated Rank
1. Dudley 96.1 95.8 (1) 92.5 (1)
2. Brent 94.6 93.5 (7) 90.0 (6)
3. Solihull 94.4 94.0 (3) 90.4 (4)
4. Waltham Forest 93.9 93.9 (4) 89.8 (9)
5. Sunderland 93.8 92.3 (15) 88.0 (28)

would be required to consult upon a proposal to amend any scheme provision which sets a minimum delegation requirement. The method by which an LEA consults schools on changes to local management of schools schemes is for the authority itself to determine.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the items of local education authority expenditure on schools that her Department considers impracticable or undesirable for delegation as stated in the 1996 departmental report; on what criteria each is considered impracticable or undesirable for delegation; and if she will make a statement. [31834]

Mr. Squire

Items excluded from the potential schools budget—PSB—are conveniently listed in schedule 1 to the Education (School Financial Statements) (Prescribed Particulars etc.) Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No 208). Reasons for their exclusion were set out in part 4 of the Department's circular 2/94, except in the case of three items, the removal of which from the PSB was the subject of subsequent decisions. These items are: expenditure on inspections carried out by local education authorities for the Office for Standards in Education, which self-evidently cannot be delegated to schools; expenditure on the insurance of LEAs against liability in negligence, which it seemed reasonable to place on the same footing as governors' liability insurance; and expenditure on provision for ethnic minority pupils, much of which was previously excluded from the PSB by virtue of being supported by section 11 grant. The Government have been reviewing policy on delegation, and their conclusions will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper on self-government for schools.