Local Government Finance
Philip Dunne challenges the Government over the fairness of the funding formula for the dedicated school grant.
Mr. Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con): The Minister says that he is confident about the fairness of his formula. How does he reconcile that with the announcement only last week, by his colleagues at the Department for Children, Schools and Families, that the formula for the dedicated school grant needs to be completely rewritten?
John Healey: Even by his standards, the hon. Gentleman has grossly caricatured and misrepresented the Department's announcement. If the hon. Gentleman is concerned about rural schools, he should know that we have always been clear in our guidance to local authorities with responsibility for local schools and about the additional support that we give authorities that have to support rural schools. Some such authorities will be smaller, by and large, than other authorities.
If the hon. Gentleman wants me to check his point, I shall do so. However, I think that he will find that the additional money from the Department for Children, Schools and Families specifically to help areas under pressure to support local schools is £188 million this year.
