HC Deb 10 April 2001 vol 366 cc579-80W
Mr. Coaker

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to help teachers support pupils with social and emotional difficulties in schools; and if he will make a statement. [157906]

Jacqui Smith

Support is provided through the special educational needs component of the Standards Fund. In 2001–02, we are supporting expenditure to a total of £82 million on SEN. This includes support for the training and professional development of teachers and others dealing with pupils with SEN. It also covers support for work with pupils with emotional, behavioural and social development difficulties as part of activity designed to promote inclusion. Support is also provided through the National Healthy School Standard, which includes emotional health and wellbeing as one of its eight key themes.

It is intended that maintained schools will receive these sums in their delegated budget shares by mid May.

Also, schools will receive additional devolved capital funding, via a formula, based on a lump sum of £6,000 per school plus an amount based on the number of pupils in the school. In Coventry, South the nursery school will receive £7,168; primary schools will receive an average £10,639; secondary schools will receive an average £28,905 and special schools will receive an average £10,826.