School Funding Formula

Debate between Jim Cunningham and Nicholas Dakin

Tuesday 10th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Nic Dakin]

It is indeed. We should focus on giving young people equal opportunities wherever they are.

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

As my hon. Friend knows, debates about the school funding formula have been continuing for many years. I remember them taking place about 25 years ago. What is more important is that a quarter of the further education budget is to be cut at Coventry City college.

[Nic Dakin]

My hon. Friend has made a good point, which illustrates the complexity of the issue and the challenges that it poses. For example, sixth-form colleges currently receive no VAT relief, whereas other institutions do. One political party is going into the next election promising to create 500 new institutions. We have to ask ourselves whether that is good value for money when there is pressure on the basic budgets for young people who are in our existing institutions. It is a simple observation, and with that simple observation I shall end my speech.