Oral Answers to Questions

Jeremy Lefroy Excerpts

Monday 15th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[William Wragg (Hazel Grove) (Con)]

1. What plans she has to review the school funding formula.

[Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)]

4. What plans she has to review the school funding formula.

[Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con)]

14. What plans she has to review the school funding formula.

--- Later in debate ---

[Nicky Morgan]

I was delighted to be able to visit Mellor primary school in my hon. Friend’s constituency. I particularly welcome his contribution, as a former primary school teacher himself, to debates on education in this House. It was a very enjoyable visit, and I am glad that perhaps it played a little part in his overall victory. I went to see the work that was going on to paint brand-new classrooms, the larger school hall, and the new library. As I said, I am committed to fairer funding for schools so that schools such as Mellor primary have the right resources to allow all their children to achieve their potential.

[Jeremy Lefroy]

I thank my right hon. Friend for the down-payment of £319 million on fair funding achieved in the previous Parliament. Does she agree that for my constituents who see similar schools nearby in other authorities with much higher rates of funding, this is a matter of transparency and fairness?

[Nicky Morgan]

I am well aware that my hon. Friend and his colleagues in Staffordshire have long campaigned for fairer school funding. They have made a strong argument, and we will continue to listen to them. My hon. Friend the Minister for Schools looks forward to meeting them shortly. I am committed to making funding fairer, as set out in our manifesto. These are complex issues that we have to get right, so we will consult extensively the sector, the public and hon. Members in all parts of the House, and set out the detail of our plans in due course.