§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what mechanism he has established to ensure that funding for deprivation via local education authorities reaches children for whom it is intended. [96999]
§ Mr. MilibandLocal education authorities' funding formulae for maintained schools normally include a factor which allocates funding according to social deprivation. From 2003, the rules relating to this are being amended to ensure that such a factor always exists. The amount to be distributed is for local decision, but we are encouraging each authority to discuss this issue with its schools forum, with a view to aligning the amounts received by the LEA on the basis of social deprivation with the amounts distributed, and in ways which accurately reflect schools' needs.