§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many representations she has received from schools which will lose sixth-form funding as a result of the transition to Learning and Skills Council funding; [45406]
(2) how many schools have sixth-forms which will receive a lower budget after the transition to Learning and Skills Council funding. [45407]
§ Margaret HodgeMy right hon. Friend has received representations from a number of headteachers, deputy headteachers and chairs of school governors. However, through our Real Terms Guarantee, we are ensuring that no school sixth form can lose compared with its 2000–01 funding levels, provided pupil numbers are maintained. For sixth forms that are reducing in size, the guarantee will be maintained but at a proportionately reduced level.
655WThe Learning and Skills Council has calculated two figures for each sixth form——its RTG and its LSC formula allocation——and they will receive the higher of these two. The Financing of Maintained School Regulations 2002 have been amended to ensure that sixth forms funded through the LSC formula see some benefit. Schools should gain at least one third of the potential benefit from the LSC's allocations for 2002–03. We intend to amend the regulations further for 2003–04 to ensure that such schools have a minimum two-thirds gain in that year.
Age: 0:20 21:25 26:30 31:35 36:40 41:45 46:50 51:55 56:60 61:65 66:95 other total Total: 13 876 2194 2193 2151 1741 1475 1596 1222 688 107 10 14266 Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency's Staff Record 2000–01.
Higher education institutions are responsible for planning their own future development including academic posts.