HC Deb 19 June 1998 vol 314 cc347-8W
Mr. McWilliam

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list(a) the unit cost per pupil from public funds in the last financial year for each city technology college, (b) the projected unit cost per pupil from public funds in the current financial year, (c) the combined public and private sector unit cost per pupil projected for the current financial year for each city technology college and (d) the average unit cost per pupil in secondary schools for each local authority which has a city technology college within its area; and if he will make a statement on the numbers of Ofsted inspections of city technology colleges relative to LEA schools in areas where there are CTCs. [45894]

Ms Estelle Morris

The unit of funding for all CTCs is calculated on an academic year basis. It is based on a direct comparison with budgeted spending for secondary schools in the LEAs from which the CTCs collectively take their pupils. For the 1996–97 academic year this figure was £2,546 and for 1997–98 it was £2,590. In addition CTCs currently receive an extra £165 per pupil. This will reduce to £120 in 1998–99 and is designed to mirror the top-up grant for specialist schools plus a small amount to cover insurance costs. CTCs also, to varying degrees, receive funding for school meals costs and London weighting. There is no requirement for private sector contributions towards the unit of funding.

Unit costs of secondary pupils in areas used for CTC funding in financial years 1996–97 and 1997–98 are given in the following table.

CTCs are subject to exactly the same inspection requirements as maintained schools.

Unit costs of secondary pupils in areas used for CTC funding in financial years 1996–97 and 1997–98
£
Financial year costs1
LEAs2 used in CTC funding 1996–97 1997–98
Lambeth 2,952 3,047
Lewisham 2,485 2,556
Southwark 2,441 2,453
Wandsworth 2,547 2,493
Croydon 2,425 2,495
Birmingham 2,562 2,613
Soilhull 2,361 2,368
Wolverhampton 2,572 2,561
Bradford 2,883 2,861
Gateshead 2,392 2,393
Bristol 2,858 2,731
South Gloucestershire 2,447 2,487
Middlesbrough 2,605 2,553
Derbyshire/Derby City3 2,302 2,490
Kent 2,434 2,424
Northamptonshire 2,480 2,459
Nottinghamshire 2,428 2,456
Shropshire 2,485 2,548
1The Unit Costs have been calculated using LEA Section 122 Part 1 Budget Statements and GM school equivalent data. However, certain expenditure lines have been disregarded as not relevant to the CTC unit of funding—the main ones being school meals and capital costs. The figures are therefore not the full average unit cost amounts expended on secondary education in these LEAs. The Unit Costs shown here are deflated, i.e. reduced to exclude London weighting factors. This is as they are used in calculating the "national" CTC unit of funding.
2 The LEA areas used for CTC funding are those in which CTCs are located plus those from which CTCs draw a significant number of pupils.
3Derbyshire was subject to 1997 Local Government re-organisation, thus Derbyshire is included in the 1996–97 figures, but Derby City only in the 1997–98 figures.