Grant-maintained Schools (Hansard, 19 October 1995)

§ Mr. Rooker
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what changes she proposes to the rules regarding sale of assets by grant-maintained schools. [37063]

§ Mr. Robin Squire
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 12 September 1995 that, as from next April, grant-maintained schools will be able to retain the full proceeds from the disposal of surplus assets. We are consulting widely on the proposed change and it is, therefore, too early to say how the new arrangements will work.

§ Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total number of pupils in grant-maintained schools eligible to bid for capital grant for named projects in each financial year from 1990–91 to 1995–96; and what was the total number of pupils in local education association maintained schools at the same time. [55807]

§ Mr. Squire
Schools which have become grant-maintained by January of a given calendar year are eligible to bid for grant for the financial year commencing the following April. The figures in this table give the total number of pupils in grant-maintained and local authority maintained schools each January from 1990 to 1995.

Year Total pupils (CM) Total pupils (LA)

1990–91 13,731 6,926,487

1991–92 36,445 6,955,710

1992–93 108,995 6,978,421

1993–94 243,023 6,979,743

1994–95 556,699 6,712,078

1995–96¹ 663,100 6,734,000

¹ Provisional data.

§ Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total amount paid to grant-maintained schools in special purpose grant (restructuring); and in each case,(a) how many schools received grant, (b) how many head teacher posts were affected, (c) how many teaching posts were affected and (d) how many other posts were affected for each of the financial years 1989–90 to 1994–95. [36150]

§ Mr. Squire
The Funding Agency for Schools assumed responsibility on 1 April 1994 for the calculation and payment of special purpose grants to grant-maintained372W schools. It also holds data for previous years. I have asked the chairman of the Funding Agency to write to the hon. Member.

§ Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how may copies have been produced and, in each case, at what total cost of(a) "Going GM: A Brief Guide" and (b) the updated edition of "How to become a Grant-Maintained School". [36185]

§ Mrs. Gillan
A total of 40,000 copies of "Going Grant Maintained: A Brief Guide" have been produced at a cost of some £15,800—39p per copy. A total of 15,000 copies of "How to Become a Grant-Maintained School", 1995 edition, have been produced at a cost of some £27,200, or £1.81 per copy.

§ Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 4 May,Official Report, column 286, if she will list, in chronological order, the "Going GM" conferences held by her Department on grant-maintained status since 14 March giving in each case (a) the date, (b) the location, (c) the number of schools invited, (d) the number of schools represented, (e) the number of representatives attending and (f) the cost. [35776]

§ Mr. Squire
The information requested is set out in the table below:

Date Location Number of Schools Invited² Number of Schools Represented Number of Delegates Cost³ £

13.05.95 Cambridge 405 9 26 3,660

19.05.95 Bournemouth¹ 1,440 63 135 6,072

05.06.95 Bristol 1,089 59 135 7,951

09.06.95 Newcastle 1,710 28 49 4,046

22.06.95 Scarborough 1,446 34 72 4,011

11.07.95 Milton Keynes 1,437 69 131 6,365

Total 32,105

¹ An earlier conference in Bournemouth on 14 March 1995 was heavily over-subscribed. This second conference was largely for delegates who were unable to gain a place at the first.

² A number of schools were invited to more than one conference in order to give headteachers and governors more choice over date and location.

³ Costs listed are those attributable to specific conferences. In addition there is an on-going contract for support services which for the above six conferences has totalled £41,642.

§ Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans her Department has to hold further "Going GM" conferences; and what financial provision has been made for further conferences.

§ Mr. Squire
Departmental officials are planning to hold another eight "Going GM" conferences before the end of December, at an estimated total cost to the Department of about £100,000. Plans for conferences after that date have not yet been decided.

Year	Total pupils (CM)	Total pupils (LA)
1990–91	13,731	6,926,487
1991–92	36,445	6,955,710
1992–93	108,995	6,978,421
1993–94	243,023	6,979,743
1994–95	556,699	6,712,078
1995–96¹	663,100	6,734,000
¹ Provisional data.

Date	Location	Number of Schools Invited²	Number of Schools Represented	Number of Delegates	Cost³ £
13.05.95	Cambridge	405	9	26	3,660
19.05.95	Bournemouth¹	1,440	63	135	6,072
05.06.95	Bristol	1,089	59	135	7,951
09.06.95	Newcastle	1,710	28	49	4,046
22.06.95	Scarborough	1,446	34	72	4,011
11.07.95	Milton Keynes	1,437	69	131	6,365
Total					32,105
¹ An earlier conference in Bournemouth on 14 March 1995 was heavily over-subscribed. This second conference was largely for delegates who were unable to gain a place at the first.
² A number of schools were invited to more than one conference in order to give headteachers and governors more choice over date and location.
³ Costs listed are those attributable to specific conferences. In addition there is an on-going contract for support services which for the above six conferences has totalled £41,642.