§ Mr. StrawTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much additional funding his Department is providing to local education authorities in 1989–90 and subsequent years for introducing local management of schools in respect of(a) training of heads, governors and officers, (b) developing computerised information systems and (c) additional support staff for schools.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerTargeted support for expenditure by local education authorities on activities relating to the introduction of local management of schools is channelled through education support grants and LEA training grants. The 1989–90 education support grants programme includes support for £4.9 million of expenditure on the training of school governors, including training on local management. It also includes support for £25 million of expenditure specifically to help LEAs with the introduction of local management of schools through the purchase of computerised management information systems, the appointment of central teams and the training of non-teaching staff. The precise division of expenditure between these heads is for LEAs themselves to decide. It is my intention that support should be maintained at least at this level for a further two years. Training for heads and senior teachers to implement LEA schemes of local management of schools is a specified element of a £10 million national priority area under the LEA training grants scheme. It is for LEAs to determine what additional support to devote to the implementation of the education reforms from block grant or from their own resources.