§ Mrs. Anne CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the cost of raising the level of education SSA per child to at least(a) the level of that of the median authority and (b) the level of the median authority minus five per cent. [116754]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisWe estimate that it would cost £511 million to raise the per pupil funding of all Local Education Authorities to the level of that of the median authority and £96 million to raise it to the level less 5 per cent. of that of the median authority.
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§ Mr. St. AubynTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what assessment he has made of the equity of the standard spending assessment for education as a method of allocation; [117128]
(2) what recent representations he has received regarding measures being taken to reform received standard spending assessment for education, with particular reference to the (a) areas cost adjustment and (b) additional educational needs allowance. [117134]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisMy right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on the area cost adjustment and additional education needs elements of the standard spending assessment. We have already acknowledged that there are valid objections to the current SSA formula. The Government, in partnership with local government, have set up a review to see whether there is a better way of determining the distribution of funds which is simpler, more stable, more robust and fairer than the present arrangements.
§ Mrs. Anne CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the cost of raising the standard spending assessment per pupil for each local education authority in England to at least that of Hertfordshire for 2000–01. [117225]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisWe estimate that it would cost £760 million to raise the standard spending assessment per pupil for each local education authority in England to the level of that of Hertfordshire for 2000–01.