§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Common Funding Formula will be introduced; what the reasons are for the delay in introducing it; and if he will make a statement. [157454]
§ Jane KennedyFollowing consultation with schools, which will be undertaken within the next few months, we aim to implement the Common Funding Formula in April 2005.
The decision to delay the implementation date for the introduction of new arrangements for funding schools was taken after very careful consideration of the issues and in particular the need to ensure that schools have sufficient opportunity to comment on the proposed outcomes. The consultation was due to commence in autumn 2003 but delays, including those related to the collation of verified data needed for this process, meant this would have provided very little time not only for schools to consider the details for this major change in schools funding but also for any issues arising to be fully considered.
The revised timetable offers the opportunity to take account of refinements needed as a result of the consultation process and of any changes which may be necessary in the future as a result of recommendations made by the Post-Primary Review Working Group and also the CCEA Review of the Curriculum.