§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education how he calculates the impact of opt-out schools on his total basic credit approval for each local education authority; and if he has any plans to change the basis of his calculation.
§ Mr. ForthThe determination of authorities' basic credit approvals is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Environment. In doing so, he takes account of the distribution of annual capital guidelines to local education authorities by my right hon. Friend.
Decisions on the distribution of the capital resources available between the LEA-maintained schools and grant-maintained schools sectors take account of a number of factors including the bids made and the size and needs of the two sectors. The distribution of annual capital guidelines to LEAs takes account of the number of pupils in GM schools in each authority, and will, continue to be based on the application of national priority criteria set out each year in the LEA capital bidding letter.