§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to increase funding for rural schools in Wales in light of his proposal to introduce mandatory testing for seven-year-olds; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Wyn RobertsStatutory testing of seven-year-olds has been in place since the summer term 1991. Rural800W schools benefit from the significant levels of support already being made for assessment. Test material and related teacher guidance is issued free of charge to all participating schools. Additionally £2.5 million was approved in 1992–93 under the grants for education support and training arrangements for providing teachers with assessment skills and for local education authority support.