§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he has taken to ensure that head teachers are represented on the interdepartmental taskforce on school funding. [120474]
§ Mr. MilibandThe Department for Education and Skills is working in partnership with LEA and school representatives to identify changes that need to be made to the funding system for 2004–05 so that all schools can expect to receive a reasonable per pupil settlement in that year.
Headteachers are represented at these discussions. We will be discussing how best to ensure sufficient funding increases for every LEA; the right balance between support through general grant and through ring-fenced and targeted grant; confidence that schools and pupils will receive the money intended for them; the right balance between school and LEA central provision; that variations in the budget increases received by different schools within each LEA are appropriate and fair; and that workforce reform, in line with the National Agreement, can be sustained. We will aim to ensure that changes are in place in good time to allow LEAs and schools to plan for 2004–05 and so provide increased predictability and stability in school funding.