§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding further education book provision; and if he will make a statement on provision for the next academic year.
Mr. JacksonMy right hon. Friend is aware of representations made by the Publishers Association specifically about book provision in further education. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced proposals for the distribution of local authority total standard spending for 1990–91 on 6 November. The education share of that total allows for increased spending on books and equipment in further education relative to that assumed in the comparable total for 1989–90. The actual deployment of education funding is, however, for individual LEAs and colleges to determine. The introduction of local management of colleges under the Education Reform Act will give colleges greater discretion to deploy available resources in line with their own priorities, and so to increase spending on books where they judge that appropriate.