Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering Excerpts

Monday 16th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

15. What recent representations he has received on funding for schools in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

[The Minister of State, Department for Education (Mr Nick Gibb)]

The Government recently held two meetings with delegations to discuss education funding and the issues faced by schools in rural areas. I met a delegation of hon. Members to discuss funding for rural areas following a debate in Westminster Hall on 8 February. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the f40 group, which represents the lowest-funded authorities in England, to discuss Government proposals on school funding reform.

[Miss McIntosh]

May I thank my hon. Friend for that reply but point out that North Yorkshire is one of the lowest funded and most sparsely populated local authorities, and that it has the highest cost of fuel in the country so there are tremendous problems in getting children to school at the moment? Will he please review this issue as a matter of extreme urgency?

[Mr Gibb]

I understand my hon. Friend’s concerns about funding in North Yorkshire, which is ranked 114th out of 151 authorities, with its schools receiving £4,786 per pupil compared with the national average of £5,082. The current system is unfair. It is opaque, which is why the Government’s announcement at the end of March begins the process of moving towards a fairer system with reforms to the local formula. We intend, ultimately, to move to a national funding formula, but of course in the current economic climate, stability has to be a priority.