§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidelines are given to schools as distinct from local education authorities on what proportions of their budgets should be held back for contingencies; and how a school's spending record determines future funding allocations.
§ Mr. ForthThe Department has not issued any such guidelines. Responsibility for the management of a school's budget rests with the governing body and decisions of this sort will need to be taken in the light of the particular circumstances of the schools concerned.
17WA school's spending record should only determine future funding allocations in that any underspend will be added to, and any overspend will be deducted from, the school's budget share for the following financial year.