HC Deb 23 October 2002 vol 391 cc374-5W
Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when funds will be made available for new school building in Milton Keynes. [75909]

Mr. Miliband

Applications from all Local Education Authorities (LEAs) for three-year funding commencing in 2003–04 for New Pupil Places (Basic Need) were invited in September. These applications are currently being assessed. This support is for additional school places in areas of population growth where there is no more capacity in all schools in the surrounding area. The funding is not necessarily for new schools, and can be used to increase the number of places at existing schools. We will be announcing Basic Need allocations for 2003–04 in December.

The building of new schools and additional accommodation at existing schools can also be funded from other capital programmes provided by the Department, including the Private Finance Initiative and Targeted Capital Fund (for which applications should be received by 3 January 2003), and from formulaic funding allocated to all LEAs and schools.