§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning paying of moneys from central Government to each local education authority school in Wales for books, with particular reference to the manner of giving the moneys to the schools; and if he will make a statement. [126519]
§ Mr. HansonMy right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with the First Secretary about a range of matters, including the National Assembly's arrangements for allocating education funds.
The Assembly provides resources specifically for books through the annual Grants for Education Support and Training (GEST) programme. The Assembly believes that local education authorities are best placed to decide the allocation of these funds locally. They are encouraged to target schools with the greatest need in terms of improving standards of literacy and numeracy.
Schools may also use their delegated budget to purchase books.