§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the basis for the difference between funding of primary and secondary school children; if he will make it his policy to fund children from the ages of five to 16 years on a national curriculum basis; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ForthThe current balance of funding between the primary and secondary phases reflects local education authorities' decisions about relative needs and priorities. Similarly, it is for local education authorities—LEAs—to decide the basis of funding for compulsory school education, within the resources available to them. Spending available per pupil in nursery, primary and secondary schools increased in real terms by over 45 per cent, between 1979–80 and 1990–91. LEAs' planned spending in 1992–93 was around 5 per cent, higher in real terms than LEA spending in 1990–91.