Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when his Department plans to make a decision on whether to grant the request from Kingston Borough Council to disapply guidelines on the ring-fenced dedicated schools grant for the 2018-19 financial year.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has already made decisions on some cases and the relevant local authorities have been informed. We are still reviewing the other cases received, and will give local authorities a decision shortly. Each request requires detailed review against the criteria issued in August 2017 and in some cases further information has been needed, on matters such as school forum decisions and local consultation, before a decision can be taken.

Local authorities are required to issue budgets to all their maintained schools by 28 February 2018, and we have committed to ensuring that all decisions on disapplications are communicated in time for local authorities to meet that deadline.