§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a direct grant allocation to Shropshire county council to support the additional transport costs incurred by a rural county. [28332]
§ Mr. TimmsIn 2002–03 Shropshire's Education SSA will increase by £6.88 million or 6.16 per cent. Shropshire will also benefit from an overall increase in Standards Fund grant of almost £160 million; and an increase of 2.75 per cent. in the direct grant for schools. We believe that this is a good settlement sufficient to cover all the cost pressures on Shropshire next year, including the additional transport costs incurred by a rural county.
However, we are currently working up a new funding system for introduction in 2003–04. As part of that work we are taking account of the costs associated with rural areas such as home to school transport.