§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether he will make it his policy to collect data on the number of pupils attending schools in a different district from their home within the same local education authority;
(2) what is his policy on securing equitable funding arrangements for schools such as Bushloe high school, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire which draw a high proportion of pupils from outside their catchment areas;
(3) what assessment he has made of the effect of Leicestershire county council's formula for funding schools on the loss of teachers for schools such as Bushloe high school in the Oadby and Wigston area; and if he will make a statement;
(4) what representations he has received about the effect of local management of schools on the number of teachers at Bushloe high school, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire;
(5) if he will now list the budget allocation per unit for local management of schools in (a) Wigston, (b) South Wigston and (c) Oadby; what is the average budget allocation per unit for schools in the city of Leicester; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FallonI refer my hon. Friend to my replies of 22 March and 17 April,Official Report, columns 234 and 137. Under local management, schools are funded principally on the basis of the numbers and ages of pupils on roll. Schools are not penalised for attracting pupils from outside the home local education authority; they receive funds in respect of those pupils through the LMS formula. In this way pupils of the same age are funded at the same level, irrespective of where they live and which school they attend within the authority.
216WWe have received a small number of representations from schools in Leicestershire which serve the 10 to 14 age range, including Bushloe high school.
I shall write to my hon. Friend to explain the situation in more detail.
§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning opting out of schools in the Oadby, Wigston and South Wigston areas in view of the underfunding of schools which draw up to a quarter of their pupils from outside their catchment areas.
§ Mr. EggarMy right hon. and learned Friend's predecessor received a number of representations from schools in these areas, some of which referred to the possibility of seeking grant-maintained status.