Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Monday 6th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Karen Buck. Not here. Well, one person who is here—I can see that very clearly, to my great satisfaction—is the right hon. Member for Mid Sussex (Sir Nicholas Soames).

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Sir Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex) (Con)]

2. What her plans are for education funding in West Sussex.

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I listened carefully to the response from the Secretary of State, who has not broadened the matter, and therefore the question appertains exclusively to West Sussex.

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman’s Chester constituency is a considerable distance from West Sussex, but if, and only if, his question focuses exclusively upon West Sussex—

[Christian Matheson]

Almost exclusively, Mr Speaker?

[Mr Speaker]

No, exclusively. Get in there, man.

[Christian Matheson]

West Sussex’s education funding has increased by 1.9%—I am very pleased to hear that—but other areas close to West Sussex will have received cuts of up to 1.3%, so why is West Sussex being treated so much more generously?

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman is a very fine man, but I am not sure that he would triumph if he appeared on “Just a Minute”.

[Justine Greening]

I recognise that the funding formula means that schools will receive different settlements from the ones that they have had in the past. We are trying to ensure that every single child, wherever they are growing up in England, gets the same amount of funding, but that there is then a top-up in relation to additional needs, such as in respect of deprivation, which has been based on out-of-date data up until now, or indeed additional funding for low prior attainment.

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. By his earlier reference to the situation “across the country”, the Minister extended the question beyond Devon, allowing other would-be contributors to ask a question.

[Tracy Brabin (Batley and Spen) (Lab)]

The head of one of my local academy trusts tells me that his school will lose more than 2.5% of its overall budget as a result of the national funding formula alone. That figure is higher than the 1.5% cap promised by the Government. Does the Minister share the trust’s view that the cuts will have the biggest impact on deprived and vulnerable children? If so, what are the Government doing?

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[Justine Greening]

I am sure my hon. Friend will want to make those points as part of the consultation that is under way, but as he will be aware, our formula looks at area cost adjustments that take into account variations in not only the general labour market but specifically the teaching labour markets. Such an approach is designed to compensate schools that face higher wage costs. We have a measure that is based on salaries, which we think is the best way, but as I said, this is a consultation and I am sure he will want to put the point he makes into it.

[Mr Speaker]

It is quite a long way over the border to Liverpool, Wavertree, but there we go. I call Luciana Berger.

[Luciana Berger (Liverpool, Wavertree) (Lab/Co-op)]

During these questions, we seem to be dealing with some “alternative facts”. According to the details I have in front of me, Liverpool schools are set to lose £3.6 million. I visited a primary school in Picton in my constituency—Picton is one of the most deprived wards in the country—that is going to lose more than 10% of its budget; we are talking about more than £100,000 for some of the most deprived children in this country. Can the Government please explain to Labour Members, and to the whole House, exactly what is going on and why they seem to be presenting something very different from what our schools are having to contend with in reality?

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[Robert Halfon]

I am amazed by the hon. Gentleman’s question. He often does not see the apprentice wood for the apprentice trees. We now have the highest number of apprenticeships on record in our island’s history at 899,000, with more than 780,000 apprenticeship starts since May 2015. We are investing millions in ensuring that employers and providers hire apprentices. We have a record to be proud of.

[Mr Speaker]

We need to speed up.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

10. What discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on the Government’s student immigration policy.

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

One last question—the voice of Luton North, Mr Kelvin Hopkins.

[Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab)]

14. What comparative assessment she has made of the sixth-form education system in England and education systems in other countries.

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[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Caroline Dinenage)]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right to point out that our early years workforce is one of our greatest assets. We will shortly be releasing a workforce strategy, which will outline how we want to improve what already exists. We need to help employers to attract, to retain and to develop their staff to deliver the very highest quality of early years provision.

[Mr Speaker]

Short questions and short answers, please.

[Jeremy Quin (Horsham) (Con)]

T4. As part of the fair funding consultation, will the Secretary of State consider establishing a minimum level of funding per school?

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[Mr Gibb]

My hon. Friend will know that 22% of the schools in his borough will see an increase in funding, and per-pupil funding on average in Harrow remains high, at £4,792 per pupil. That is higher than in many local authority areas around the country.

[Mr Speaker]

Of topical length, please, Mr Greg Mulholland.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

Leeds is reviewing its support for transport to school for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, and there is a risk that people over-16 may not get such funding. Will the Government commit to ensuring that all children in such a situation in the country get the funding they need for transport to school?