HL Deb 14 October 1997 vol 582 cc175-6WA
Lord Pearson of Rannoch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 30 June (WA 5), whether the Grant Maintained Schools Foundation and the Grant Maintained Schools Advisory Committee have been notified of the termination of government grant; and if so, when they were notified, when the final payment was made to each organisation, and what grant provision was made to help meet their obligations for staff redundancies.

The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone)

The Grant Maintained Schools Foundation is a company limited by guarantee, not a voluntary organisation or non-departmental public body. It was notified on 14 May that government grant would cease as from the end of June, and the final grant payment in respect of June was paid in June. It is for the foundation in the first instance to consider the consequences for its employees. The department has been in discussion with the foundation about the arrangements for winding up the foundation following the termination of grant.

The Grant Maintained Schools Advisory Committee has not had its grant terminated, although the grant has been reduced from its previous level. The committee was informed on 3 June that the department was prepared to make further grant available up to a maximum of £15,000 during the remainder of this financial year, as part of a wider commitment to support communication and consultation between the department and the grant maintained schools sector.