§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether his pledge of increased school funding is aimed at assisting schools in meeting the cost of(a) incremental drift and (b) teachers crossing the pay threshold. [137477]
§ Mr. MilibandIncreased school funding designed to help school maintain the improvement in standards since 1997. The cost of incremental drift has been taken into account in calculating average cost pressures, and although schools' costs will vary from the average, the 5 per cent. floor increase for LEAs should enable them to target resources at particular schools which have unavoidable higher than average staff costs. Threshold payments will continue to be fully funded through grant in 2004–05.
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