Gordon Henderson
Main Page: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)Department Debates - View all Gordon Henderson's debates with the Department for Education
(6 years, 9 months ago)
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The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)
I will look into the precise issue the hon. Gentleman raises, but let me point out that we are spending record sums of money on education for ages five to 16 and beyond— £41 billion on school funding this year, rising to £42.4 billion next year and £43.5 billion the year after. We can provide those sums only if we have a strong economy providing the tax revenues to fund public services, which we would not have under a Labour Government.
Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) (Con)
My constituency has one of the highest number of children with special educational needs in Kent. Would the Minister therefore join me in welcoming the news that the Aspire free school, which will cater for 168 young people with autism spectrum disorder, is due to be built next year in my constituency? Would he also join me in congratulating local people who campaigned for many years for such a school and the Grove Park Academies trust, which has taken up the baton to deliver that school?
Nadhim Zahawi
I congratulate everyone involved in campaigning for and setting up the Aspire free school, including the Grove Park Academies trust, which will oversee the development of the new school.