§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to meet the members of the councils of Wales to discuss the education revenue budget; and if he will make a statement. [14491]
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansMy right hon. Friend met Welsh local authority representatives, in the forum of the Welsh consultative council on local government finance, on 16 December to hear their views on his proposals for the 1997–98 Welsh local government revenue settlement.
My right hon. Friend's final decisions on the settlement were debated and approved by Parliament on 4 February. It will be for each local authority to decide how much of its total resources to allocate to individual services, including education, taking account of its statutory responsibilities and its perception of local needs and priorities.