HC Deb 24 March 1999 vol 328 cc293-5W
Mr. Tredinnick

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what advice he has given

Leicestershire County Council concerning the expenditure of the 1999–2000 increase in the education SSA for the county; and if he will make a statement; [78247]

(2) what responses he has received from the leaders of the (a) Conservative, (b) Liberal and (c) Labour county councillors in Leicestershire to his letter of 1 March to county councillors entitled Education Funding; and if he will make a statement; [78246]

(3) if he will list the education authorities which have not passed on to schools the whole of the increase in the education SSA for 1998–99; and if he will make a statement. [78337]

Ms Estelle Morris

[holding answer 23 March 1999]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has written to all English Local Education Authorities, including Leicestershire, to urge them to use all of the cash increase in the education SSA for 1999–2000 to support education services. We expect every Local Education Authority of whatever political control to ensure that the increase is spent on education and used in the direct delivery of services. No responses have been received from the leaders of the Conservative and Liberal Groups to the letters which have been sent to the County Council. The Labour Group Leader has indicated that the Labour Group is committed to providing additional resources for education in Leicestershire. Final data are not yet available on actual expenditure in 1998–99 or planned expenditure in 1999–2000 but we will be monitoring the financial returns of authorities to see whether the cash increase in the education SSA has been used to support education.