§ Mr. GrocottTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average effect on public expenditure involved when(a) a primary school and (b) a secondary school opts out of local education authority control.
§ Mr. EggarIn terms of the annual maintenance grant (AMG) for grant-maintained schools the average effect should be broadly neutral. A GM school's AMG reflects what it would have received for direct costs from its maintaining authority. It includes an additional amount in respect of LEA central costs and of LEA subsidies for school meals; these are costs previously incurred centrally by the LEA.
Transitional grants, special purpose grants (SPG) and capital grants reflect the particular circumstances of 620W individual schools. It is not possible to construct a meaningful average public expenditure figure. Some grants replace benefits or services which LEA-maintained schools are eligible to receive in another way. For example, SPG(V) is paid to GM schools as they are liable to VAT whereas LEAs are not so liable.