§ Mr. FallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Kent schools have made recent representations to him about school funding; and what response he has made. [134730]
§ Mr. MilibandWe have received a number of recent representations from Kent schools about education funding issues. In response, we have referred to the Secretary of State's statement on 17 July when he announced the changes we propose to make to restore stability to school funding in 2004–05 and 2005–06. We have been working with national partners on the detail of his proposals and the Secretary of State will be announcing the outcome shortly.
§ Mr. Damian GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the salary costs for each local education authority of(a) all staff, (b) all school staff, (c) school teaching staff and (d) school non-teaching staff were in each year since 1997. [133697]
§ Mr. MilibandI refer the hon. Member to his previous question on 30 April 2003,Official Report, column 419W, for the reply. Figures for the year ending 31 March 2003 are not yet available: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as they are.
§ Mr. HunterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what further measures he proposes to take to protect school budgets from the effects of the changes to the grant formula. [134673]
§ Mr. MilibandMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced, in his statement to the House on 17 July, that in each of the next two years, every local authority will receive an increase in its Formula Grant from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister which is at least as large as the increase in its Schools Formula Spending Share (SPSS). He expects to make a further announcement on schools funding in 2004–05 and 2005–06 shortly.
203WEach local authority's provisional Formula Grant and SPSS increases for 2004–05 will be announced as part of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement in mid-November.