§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how she will change the education funding formula to provide a more even funding system for pupils in rural and inner city schools; [75886]
(2) what steps she will take to ensure that current proposals for funding in schools will not accelerate increased spending for inner city pupils over those students in rural areas; [75887]
(3) what steps she is taking to secure more even distribution of funding for pupils and schools in rural and inner city areas; [75888]
(4) if she will consider Option 5, put forward by the F40 Group, to secure a more even distribution of funding for pupils between rural and inner city schools; [75889]
(5) what plans she has to improve the basic allowance per pupil in the worst-funded education authorities, with specific reference to Shropshire; [75890]
(6) what steps she is taking to reduce the funding gap between education authorities in urban and rural areas. [75891]
§ Mr. MilibandThe Government will consider carefully all responses to the consultation on Local Government Finance, and all suggested further options before taking decisions on the new Local Government funding system, to be introduced for 2003–04. Decisions on the balance between the basic entitlement and extra funding for additional educational needs will be decided on the basis of evidence about pupil characteristics and cost of provision: this will determine the distribution of funding between urban and rural authorities and will be announced by early December with the local authority finance settlement.