§ Lord Hardy of Wathasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether payments under local government financial arrangements fully meet the cost incurred by local education authorities in respect of the provision of school places taken by children who live outside that local authority's area; and whether such payments also cover the cost of both the provision and maintenance of school buildings. [HL228]
§ The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone)Under the standard spending assessment (SSA) system, a local education authority (LEA) receives recurrent funding for every pupil in its schools, whether or not they live in that authority. If, however, a pupil has a statement of special educational needs, attends a special school or is educated in hospital, the authority providing the education is entitled to recoup any costs over and above the SSA funding it receives from the pupil's home authority. The amount to be recouped will be such amount as the authorities involved may agree. Provision for an LEA's capital expenditure does not discriminate between pupils living within and outside an authority's boundaries.