Vol. 517 No. 4
257 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to remove the requirement of the local contribution of £8.50 per pupil at primary level; if he proposes to absorb this contribution in his Department's capitation grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10079/00]
My Department provides capitation grants towards the day to day running costs of primary schools. School authorities are required to supplement the capitation grant with a local contribution.
In 1999 the local contribution was reduced from £10 per pupil to £8.50 per pupil in the case of mainstream schools, and from £9.50 per pupil to £5.50 per pupil in the case of schools designated as disadvantaged. I have recently announced that I have decided to further reduce the amount required by way of a local contribution. The amount of the reduction will be £1.50 per pupil in the case of schools designated as disadvantaged and £1 per pupil in the case of all other schools. The new rates that will therefore apply, with immediate effect, are £4.00 per pupil in the case of schools designated as disadvantaged and £7.50 per pupil in the case of all other schools.
The unprecedented level of funding provided by this Government for primary schools has made it possible to ease the burden on local communities who have been so generous in their support of their local schools for many years.
