HC Deb 02 February 1993 vol 218 cc149-50W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the reasons why his Department(a) did not reimburse Gwynedd county council with the sum paid by way of mandatory education grants, following the completion of form UG 8/91 on 5 October by that authority, (b) indicated that provisional payments would be made soon after 9 October and (c) delayed payments until January 1993; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Boswell

Form UG 8/91 is a certificate of each local education authority's spending on mandatory student awards in 1991–92, and is used as a basis for adjustments to the specific grant already paid for that year by the Department. Provisional adjustments may be paid after scrutiny of authorities' pre-audit forms due in October, and final adjustments after receipt of audited certificates due on 31 December. Last autumn, however, many authorities' pre-audit forms contained errors, and the Department deferred all adjustments until audited certificates had been received and reconciled. The adjustments will be paid in full shortly.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reason his Department has not yet replied to the letter from the treasurer of Gwynedd county council of 30 November and 10 December.

Mr. Boswell

The Department telephoned the county treasurer, and also wrote on 22 December and again on 19 and 29 January.