§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what factors underlay the decision of his Department to require Portsmouth City Council to consolidate the one-off additional budget supplementary grant for 2003–04 into the 2004–05 settlement. [157282]
§ Mr. MilibandIn 2003–04, the Department made available an additional budget support grant of £28 million to ensure all authorities received at least a minimum increase of 3.2 per cent. per pupil, after taking account of the effect of the Standards Fund and teachers' pension changes.
Portsmouth's share of this was £891,000. This grant has been added to the 2003–04 baseline and Portsmouth's 5 per cent. per pupil Schools Formula Spending Share increase is on top of this enlarged baseline. Therefore, the SFSS for 2004–05 incorporates the £891,000 and the Government expect authorities to passport the full increase in SFSS into the Schools Budget. Portsmouth's Revenue Support Grant for 2004–05 also incorporates this funding as the increase in Revenue Support Grant of 4.2 per cent. was also on top of a baseline that included the –891,000 grant.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he has given to(a) Portsmouth City Council and (b) other local education authorities on funding his 4 per cent. pledge to schools in 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [157283]
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§ Mr. MilibandThe Department has provided detailed guidance to local education authorities concerning the funding changes for 2004–05 through the teachernet website and through direct letters. The Department ensured that every authority received an increase in Schools Formula Spending Share per pupil of at least 5 percent., compared to the 4 percent. minimum guarantee for schools. The Department continues to be in dialogue with the handful of authorities that are having difficulty in implementing the guarantee.