§ Mr. DorrellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the division of funding between local and central government for the Literacy Initiative. [29487]
§ Mr. Byers[holding answer 16 February 1998]For 1998–99 the Government have allocated £59 million on expenditure through the Standards Fund for the raising of literacy standards. The Government and LEAs will share equally the responsibility for funding that expenditure, providing 50 per cent. each. In addition central 741W government has recently provided £22 million to schools, via local education authorities, to purchase reading books, for expenditure in 1997–98.