HC Deb 26 February 2001 vol 363 cc370-1W
Mr. Hilary Benn

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the capital investment in schools in Leeds local education authority was from 1996 to 1999(a) in total and (b) by funding stream; and what his forecast is for the next three years. [150451]

Jacqui Smith

Leeds local education authority has received some £45 million of funding from central Government for capital investment in schools between 1996–97 and 1999–2000 as shown in table A. Table B shows the forecast investment over the next three years.

Nationally, investment in school buildings has tripled from £683 million a year in 1996–97 to over £2 billion in 2000–01. It will be £3.2 billion in 2003–04, including grant, credit approvals and Private Finance Initiative credits. There will be central Government investment of £7.8 billion in school buildings in total from 2001–02 to 2003–04.

1 Future years' allocations shown in the above table are those already announced as being attributable to Leeds local education authority.

In addition to the amounts shown above, schools in the authority will also benefit from a share of other programmes where allocations have not yet been made. These include over £1 billion of credit approvals, mainly to provide new pupil places; £440 million of grant to governors of voluntary aided schools; £555 million funding through the NDS Modernisation programme and £170 million worth of funding under the Schools Access Initiative. Funding under the National Grid for Learning (NGfL) in 2002–03 and 2003–04 is a partial allocation based on a formula. Figures are provisional and confirmed levels of NGfL funding for 2002–03 and 2003–04 will be published in due course.

This funding will be augmented by capital receipts and other contributions from local education authority sources, and the contribution which governors of voluntary aided schools make to their building work. In addition, more than £1 billion is available nationally through private finance initiative credits for projects which will sign in 2002–03 and 2003–04.

Funding specifically ring fenced for the renewal of school laboratories and secondary learning support units is ending in 2001–02. Local authorities will be able to prioritise their other increased funding for this purpose, if they wish.

1 Provisional figures, they also include a small proportion of revenue funding. (Also see 1).