HC Deb 09 May 2001 vol 368 cc176-7W
Mr. Salter

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much the Government spent on education in the Reading, West constituency in each of the financial years from 1995–96 to 2000–01, indicating the specific areas on which the funding has been spent. [159614]

Ms Estelle Morris

Most funding provided by the Department is distributed via local education authorities. Total Devolved Formula Capital allocations for schools in the Reading, West constituency amounted to £708,500 in 2000–01. Allocations between the years 1997–98 and 2000–01 under the New Deal for Schools scheme are set out in the table. The Department does not hold information on other support provided to Reading, West constituency schools since 1995–96. The Secretary of State wrote to my hon. Friend on 16 February setting out the total funding for his local education authorities (Reading and West Berkshire) for the years 1998–99 to 2001–02. Due to local government reorganisation, figures are not available for earlier years.

New Deal for Schools (NDS): Allocations to schools in the Reading, West constituency
School Project details Grant awarded (£)
1997–98
LEA wide package including:
English Martyrs RC Primary Urgent health and safety work 1761,000
Downsway Primary
St. Edward's School
Birch Copse
1998–99
Thamesbridge College (formerly Ashmead School) Replacement of unusable teaching accommodation 2,279,825
LEA wide package involving 12 schools Plumbing work 2136,700
LEA wide package involving 16 schools Repairs to roofs 2252,900
1999–2000
Little Heath School Roof Covering Replacement 107,030
The Holy Brook School Window Replacement 24,310
2000–01
Brookfields Special School Replacement of temporary classroom 60,000
Upcroft Primary School Reorganising and extending school building 272,550
Included within a 15 school package:
Kennett Valley Primary Fire alarms/means of escape 3273,216
Calcot Infant and Nursery
Included within a 3 school package:
Kennett Valley Primary Internal remodelling 3217,925
1 Local education authorities (LEAs) were not required to specify individual project costs for phase 1 of the NDS programme, so the amount shown is the total allocation in that year to the former Berkshire LEA. Reading LEA (English Martyrs RC Primary and St. Edward's School) and West Berkshire LEA (Downsway Primary and Birch Copse) hold project level information.
2 Denotes LEA wide package; details of specific schools within the package are not available. West Berkshire local education authority will be able to advise if schools from the Reading, West constituency benefited.
3 Denotes total allocation made to package projects covering more than one school. West Berkshire local education authority will be able to advise the value of projects at schools which have benefited from these allocations.

Between 1992–93 and 1997–98, average recurrent funding per pupil fell nationally by £120 in real terms from £2,830 to £2,710. Since then, it has risen by an average of £540 in real terms to £3,250 this year. By 2003–04, it will have increased by around £750 in real terms since 1997–98.