HC Deb 17 December 2001 vol 377 c69W
Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to pay a special education grant to Worcestershire for 2002–03 financial year; and if she will make a statement. [23495]

Mr. Timms

We propose to pay a grant to those authorities where there is a significant impact from the transfer of funding from Education Standard Spending to the Learning and Skills Council. The grant will guaranteeall LEAs a post-16 SSA after their LSC allocation has been deducted of at least 7.5 per cent. of their post-16 SSA before the LSC deduction; and all LEAs at least 85 per cent. of the increase in their education SSA to be available for purposes other than sixth forms.

Allocations of this grant will be finalised in January, after the consultation on the Local Government Finance settlement has been completed, and final figures for LSC allocations and Education SSAs are available. We have no other plans for special grants to support LEA budgets for 2002–03, because increases in funding mean there is less need for special grant support from Government than there was in 2001–02: over £1.3 billion extra in Education Standard Spending Assessments (SSAs); a further increase in Standards Fund grant of almost £160 million; and an increase in the direct grant for schools of 2.75 per cent.