§ Mr. SwinneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a breakdown by(a) local authority and (b) policy objective or project over £10,000 of the money made available through the Excellence Fund to support children's learning in financial year 1997–98; what moneys have been allocated by policy objective or project or by local authority under the Excellence Fund in financial years 1998–99 and 1999–2000; what are the proposed total amounts to be made available under this heading for each of the next three financial years; and what percentage of this will be under the control of the Scottish Parliament. [65929]
§ Mrs. Liddell[holding answer 18 January 1999]: The Excellence Fund for Schools was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland on 15 July 1998. The Fund will operate for the three years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02 and comprises a Core Programme and a Special Programme. The £322 million of the Core Programme will be allocated by formulae to authorities in accordance with Scottish Office Education Circulars 4/98, 6/98 and 9/98 copies of which have been placed in the library.
£55 million will be made available under the Special Programme to support New Community Schools (£26 million), School Action Plans (£15 million) and Specialist Provision (£14 million). This money will be allocated to authorities on the basis of bids made against specific criteria. The Scottish Parliament will assume responsibility for expenditure from July.