§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to simplify the procedure for schools to apply for Standards Fund money; and if she will make a statement. [9011]
§ Mr. TimmsStandards Fund grant is allocated and paid to local education authorities who must devolve around 75 per cent. of the grant to their schools to spend according to their own needs and priorities. It is for authorities and schools to agree the particular arrangements for allocating the grant to schools. Almost all Standards Fund grants are allocated to LEAs on a 1393W formula basis and the Government expect LEAs to devolve grants to schools by a fair formula, in which case schools should not have to apply for grant.
We have already simplified the operation of the Standards Fund for 2001–02. Schools have more freedom to determine spending priorities—they will be free to move money between most of their allocations. Schools have a full 17 months from 1 April 2001 to 31 August 2002 to spend their allocation. This will mean an end to the rush to spend grant by the end of the financial year. Separate auditing of the Standards Fund is no longer required. The Standards Fund will be audited as part of the overall arrangements for local education authority and school expenditure, reducing the need for detailed separate accounting records for each Standards Fund grant.