HC Deb 01 December 1998 vol 321 c137W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the purpose of the Service Development Fund included in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [61878]

Mr. Blunkett

Within the total Comprehensive Spending Review settlement for MEE and local government Education Standard Spending, the Government have created the Service Development Fund to ensure the right balance of funding between the existing agenda and those areas where policy is still being developed. Allocations from this Fund will be conditional on agreement to initiatives which build on essential reforms and offer the best value for money.