Grant-maintained Schools (Hansard, 4 November 1992)

§ Mr. George Howarth
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his policy in respect of an application for grant-maintained status by a school which has balloted in favour of becoming grant-maintained to commence on 1 April 1993, but which has subsequently been found to have overspent its budget under local management of schools so as to be unable to meet its financial commitments.

§ Mr. Forth
My right hon. Friend takes account of a number of factors when considering an application for grant-maintained status: ability to manage an LMS budget effectively is one. However, we expect local education authorities to monitor their schools' expenditure and to assist their schools to manage their resources in such a way as to ensure that they do not overspend their budget share. Under LMS, governing bodies must live within their means and may not plan on the basis of a deficit budget.

§ Mr. Nigel Evans
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of schools are grant-maintained in(a) the north-west of England and (b) the whole of the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Forth
As of 3 November, 1.9 per cent. of secondary schools and 0.1 per cent. of primary schools in the north-west have been approved for grant-maintained status. In England as a whole, 7 per cent. of secondary schools, 1.2 per cent. of middle schools and 0.3 per cent. of primary schools have been approved.
My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland have responsibility for grant-maintained schools in those countries.

§ Mr. Nigel Evans
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidelines he has given to the Education Assets Board with regard to the funding and control of facilities that are treated as the responsibility of the school once it becomes grant-maintained.
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§ Mr. Forth
The Education Assets Board does not deal with matters of funding for facilities. Every grant-maintained school's articles of government state that the occupation and use of school premises shall be under the control of the governing body.