§ Mr. Hancockasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department takes to check whether its grant payments to polytechnics are received in full by the institution concerned; what instances there have been in the current and last financial year of grant payments not having been received in total or in part; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldenThe only grant payments made direct to polytechnics are in respect of research projects commissioned by my right hon. Friend. All claims that accord with the terms and conditions of the contracts concluded with the researcher or institution are met in full.
My right hon. Friend also determines, on the advice of the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Education (NAB)
- i allocations from the advanced further education pool to local education authorities in respect of recurrent expenditure by polytechnics and other institutions on advanced further education. These allocations are then reflected in the calculation of block grant paid to local authorities by the Department of the Environment as part of the annual rate support grant entitlement. Block grant is not hypothecated and it is for authorities to decide how to deploy between services, including the provision of advanced further education, the expenditure in support of which block grant is paid.
- ii allocations of prescribed expenditure (ie expenditure of a capital nature) to be incurred by local education authorities in respect of polytechnics and other colleges. Such allocations are not earmarked and within the terms of the Local Government Land and Planning Act 1980 authorities are free to vire between service allocations and, subject to certain rules, to use capital receipts to supplement allocations.