§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the total additional budget allocation for grant-maintained schools in England, in addition to that which they received through their local management of schools funding allocation, for(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1992–93 and (e) 1993–94. [13176]
§ Mr. ByersFor the years in question, the annual maintenance grant for grant-maintained schools consisted of three principal elements. The first—direct AMG—is what the GM school would have received under the local management of schools scheme of its former maintaining LEA. The second—meals AMG—consisted of an amount for school meals reflecting subsidy levels in the relevant LEA for net expenditure on school meals. The third—central AMG—is an amount for services which LEA schools received free of charge but for which GM schools assumed direct responsibility, and was a simple percentage of the first sum. The central percentage is determined by the Secretary of State and under current arrangements is calculated for individual local education authorities by reference to the financial returns that they make.
867WWe recognise that the current arrangements for funding GM schools treat them differently from LEA schools, and can lead to unwarranted financial advantage to some GM schools. We are proposing in 1998–99 to move to a fairer funding system and we are presently considering the responses to consultation on our proposals. These proposals include transitional arrangements, where necessary, to minimise disruption to individual GM school budgets.