§ Mr. Amessasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to re-evaluate the role of local education authorities, including the relationship between the methods of financing and the duties imposed; and what is the place of his Department in relation to them.
§ Sir Keith JosephI am always concerned to promote the partnership between the Department and the local education authorities in response to changing needs. The 321W Education (Grants and Awards) Act 1984 enables me to pay grants from 1985–86 in support of expenditure by authorities for particular purposes which I think should be encouraged. But I do not foresee any fundamental changes in the relationship between the methods of financing and the duties of local education authorities.