HC Deb 12 March 1997 vol 292 cc227-8W
Sir Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total amount of spending on education which has been allocated to Essex county council for the forthcoming year; what was the total for the previous year; and what was the percentage change in(a) Essex and (b) England. [19709]

Mr. Robin Squire

Essex's 1997–98 education standard spending assessment is £571.764 million. Its 1996–97 education SSA was £566.981 million. After adjustment to take account of the nursery voucher scheme, this represents a year-on-year increase of 3 per cent. The average comparable year-on-year increase in 1997–98 education SSAs in England is 3.4 per cent. It is for local authorities to decide how much to spend on education and other services within the resources that are at their disposal.

Sir Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate she has made of the expected change in the numbers of school pupils in Essex in the forthcoming year; and what allowance has been made in the spending assessments for education in Essex to take account of any such changes. [19710]

Mr. Squire

Forecast changes in pupil numbers at national aggregate level are taken into account in setting education standard spending. The distribution of ESS among local authorities as education standard spending assessments is based, however, on latest available actual pupil numbers.

Sir Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what legal provisions are made available to county councils to seek a review of their standard spending assessments on education; what is the qualifying date for such appeals; and if Essex county council took advantage of these appeal arrangements. [19711]

Mr. Squire

Provisional education standard spending assessments for 1997–98 were announced as part of the local government finance settlement last November. Authorities had the opportunity to make representations about their provisional education SSAs, and in particular the data used to calculate them, up to 3 January 1997. Essex county council made one representation about its pupil numbers which was accepted.