HC Deb 19 May 2000 vol 350 cc293-5W
Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what estimate he has made of the number of schools that are operating with a budget deficit; [122719]

for which his Department is responsible (i) the amount budgeted and (ii) the total expended in each financial year for the planned lifetime of each initiative. [119792]

Mr. Wills

[holding answer 20 April 2000]: The Department's aim is to give everyone the chance, through education, training and work to realise their full potential and thus build an inclusive and fair society and a competitive economy.

To achieve that, programmes must reach and impact effectively on people who are suffering from disadvantage. While not directly focused on regenerating deprived areas, DfEE initiatives offer crucial support for those individuals most affected by deprivation. The steps which the Department is taking to widen participation in learning, particularly targeting those who traditionally drop out or have low levels of achievement, will also contribute to the regeneration of local areas. These include Excellence in Cities, piloting Education Maintenance Allowances and introducing the Connexions Service. In addition a substantial proportion of New Deal For Schools funding benefits schools in disadvantaged areas. We have also made available £16 million for improving the quality and developing the range of adult basic skills provision in 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

The table includes sums already expended and planned budgets for the current and next financial years for those initiatives which could most easily be described as (a) area-based, and (b) regeneration-related. Planned budgets may change and expenditure plans beyond March 2002 will be determined by the current spending review.

(2) what assessment he has made of the main causes of budget deficit within schools; [122720]

Ms Estelle Morris

Returns received from 145 of the 150 Local Education Authorities in England show that of 21,542 schools in those Authorities, 2,470 schools reported a budget deficit at 31 March 1999, leaving 19,072 without deficit. At 31 March 1998, schools in deficit numbered 2,753.

While it is not possible to give a definitive answer on the cause of deficits, it is clear that historic underfunding has led schools to attempt to protect services in the anticipation of the kind of improved funding which is in evidence in the current financial year.