§ Mr. RooneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will extend the existing section 11 grants for 1991–92 for education purposes at the same rate to the end of the academic year 1991–92;
(2) what was the total sum (a) bid for and (b) allowed for grants to Bradford council for 1992–93 under section 11;
(3) what representations he has received from Bradford council on the future of section 11 grants;
(4) what total sums at 1991 prices were paid to Bradford council in each of the last five years under the provisions of section 11 on (a) education items and (b) all other services.
§ Mrs. RumboldUnder new arrangements which were announced in October 1990 and which are designed to ensure that payments of grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 are targeted so as to achieve maximum benefit for members of ethnic minorities, local authorities were required to bid afresh by 30 April 1991 for all future funding from 1 April 1992. Local authorities were notified in December of the outcome of applications and it is not possible to extend previous funding in the way in which the hon. Member suggests.
Bradford council submitted applications for projects commencing on 1 April amounting in a full year to grant of £7.3 million at 1990–91 prices. Approximately £6 million, at 1992–93 prices, is expected to be paid in grant in 1992–93.
As the hon. Member is aware, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Education and Science and I will shortly be meeting representatives of the local authority, together with the hon. Member and his hon. Friends the Members for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) and for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden).
In the last five years for which figures are available, the amount of grant paid to Bradford council, expressed at 1990–91 prices, was approximately as follows:
Year £ million 1986–87 6.1 1987–88 5.9 1988–89 6.2 1989–90 6.9 1990–91 6.5 It is not possible to give a precise breakdown between grant to support education and other services. In general, it is estimated that education provision accounted for approximately 80 per cent. of the total grant.