§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make additional resources available to schools to allow them to offset the cost of fitting seat belts to their school transport.
§ Mr. ForthThis is a matter on which each local authority needs to assess its priorities for use of the resources available. The Government's proposals for the 1994–95 grant settlements allow local education authorities in England an increase of 2.4 per cent. for education over the previous year; that should allow them some latitude in view of the continuing fall in inflation.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will reply to the letter dated 22 November from the hon. Member for Pendle on the subject of seat belts in school transport.
§ Mr. ForthAn interim reply was sent to the hon. Member on 13 December, and I sent the hon. Member a final reply on 21 January.