§ Mr. ReedTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list all(a) funding resources and (b) initiatives sponsored by her Department for (i) the private sector, (ii) the voluntary sector and (iii) local authorities. [26847]
§ Estelle MorrisMost of my Department's expenditure is delivered through schools and local education authorities (LEAs), and partner organisations, including non-departmental public bodies, which in turn pass funding to providers and institutions in the private, voluntary and other sectors.
The bulk of funding for local authorities is made up of the Education Standard Spending Assessment, £22.5 billion in the current financial year, the Standards Fund, £2.5 billion, and credit approvals of £0.5 billion. The Department also makes some separate grants available to local authorities, for example for Education Maintenance Allowances.
The Department has allocated £450 million in private finance initiative credits to local authorities in 2001–02 to support public-private partnerships in schools.
Full details of the initiatives sponsored by my Department for the private sector, the voluntary sector and local authorities could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Department is currently contributing a comprehensive Home Office-led exercise, which is mapping involvement and funding in the voluntary and community sector. I expect my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to place this information in the Library when the exercise is completed.