§ Mr. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what account he took of the speech by the "right" hon. Member for the Cities of London and Westminster of 3 February 2000,Official Report, columns 1299–1300, in writing to the Leader of Westminster City Council on 7 February. [110409]
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§ Ms Estelle MorrisMy "right" hon. Friend is aware of views expressed in the speech by the "right" hon. Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Mr. Brooke) of 3 February 2000. He will not take account of the level of an authority's spend in comparison with its standard spending assessment in taking decisions on whether to release its share of the £50 million grant. It is vitally important that the increased funding we have made available for education reaches education budgets. We will therefore continue to urge local authorities to passport the increase in education spending assessments to education budgets. My "right" hon. Friend will take decisions on the release of the £50 million grant to support school budgets in due course.
§ Mr. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his letter of 7 February to the Leader of Westminster City Council, if he will take account of the authority's cash increase in central support grant when deciding whether to release the council's share of the extra £50 million special grant available for education. [110411]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisIt is for an authority to decide how it uses any increase in central support protection grant in setting its budget. My "right" hon. Friend will want to see prior confirmation that an authority has increased its education budget by the increase for 2000–01 in its education standard spending assessment before making a decision on the release of its share of the £50 million special grant.
§ Mr. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what conditions will be attached to the additional special grant of £50 million for education next year; and what the reasons are for attaching these conditions. [110408]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisMy "right" hon. Friend will want to see prior confirmation that the whole of an authority's increase in its education standard spending assessment has been passed on to its education budget before he takes decisions on the release of that authority's share of the £50 million special grant. Local education authorities will be required to include their share of the £50 million special grant in their schools' delegated budgets. It is vital that the £1.1 billion increase in education standard spending for 2000–01 is not diverted to other services, but reaches local education authority budgets, and that the £50 million in extra grant is used to support school budgets.
§ Mr. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will take into account the fact that an authority is already spending above its education standard spending assessment when distributing his Department's additional special grant of £50 million for education. [110412]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisMy "right" hon. Friend will not take account of the level of an authority's spend in comparison with its standard spending assessment in taking decisions 577W on whether to release its share of the £50 million special grant. What is important is whether an authority increases its education budget by the increase in its education SSA.
§ Mr. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many local authorities have confirmed to his Department their intention to passport the whole of their education standard spending assessment increase to their education budget in the next financial year. [110407]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisTo date 113 local authorities in England have confirmed their intention to passport the whole of their education standard spending assessment increase to their education budget.