HC Deb 16 July 1998 vol 316 cc299-300W
Mr. Lepper

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on progress towards achieving the harmonisation of funding of the education of 16 to 19 year olds in full-time education. [50150]

Dr. Howells

A group of local authorities has been looking at alternative approaches to the principles on which school sixth forms are funded, including the scope for introducing those used in further education (funding for recruitment, programme delivery and achievement). We expect to receive a progress report later this month which will help to inform them on how they wish to proceed.

The levels of funding available to school sixth forms and FE colleges for their 16–19 students will be affected by the outcome of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review and by local authority decisions on the level of spending they devote to schools from their overall spending settlement.

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