§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to give schools greater flexibility over allocating moneys received from central Government. [66272]
§ Mr. MilibandThe Government have already simplified the operation of the Standards Fund, by far the largest specific grant for education. Since April 2001 schools have had more freedom to move funds between the different Standards Fund activities; separate auditing of the Standards Fund is no longer required; and the spending period for the Standards Fund was extended from 12 months to 17 months to give schools even more flexibility in planning expenditure. The Government also 499W committed to make more transparent the local government funding system, as set out in the local government White Paper.