HC Deb 02 April 1998 vol 309 cc650-1W
Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much and what percentage of the total public expenditure on education in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000 was or is expected to be distributed by Central Government after a competitive bidding process by local authorities or other bodies. [36221]

Dr. Howells

A significant proportion of the Department's expenditure on education is allocated on the basis of competitive bidding by local authorities and other bodies. Some of the principal examples are:

£ million
1997–98 1998–99
New Deal for Schools 83.5 185.4
Standards Fund1 21.3 109.9
FE Collaboration Fund2 10.5 25.5
HE recurrent funding and research 220 190
1Grants for Education Support and Training (GEST) in 1997–98. 1998–99 figure includes £50m for the National Grid for Learning, funded from the New Deal for Schools.
2 FE Competitiveness and Development Fund 1997–98.

Expenditure for 1999–2000 has yet to be announced. The bulk of funding for schools is channelled through local education authorities, and is unhypothecated.