§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will increase the proportion of funding to the primary school sector; and if he will make a statement. [116045]
§ Jane KennedyThe Government recognises that the current differential in funding between primary and post-primary funding in Northern Ireland is too wide. The Local Management of Schools Common Formula, scheduled to come into operation in April 2004, contains a number of factors by which resources can be more effectively targeted and it is intended to use these over the initial years of the formula to reduce the funding differential.
In recognition of the issue the Budget Addition allocations for 2003–04, given to schools on top of their formula budget, were for the first time weighted in favour of the primary sector. This has resulted in an additional £1 million being provided for primary schools this year.