Tuesday Volume 648 6 November 2018 No. 202 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 6 November 2018 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2018 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1353 6 NOVEMBER 2018 1354 17. [907486] Ian Austin (Dudley North) (Lab): It is House of Commons not just schools in Dudley that have been inadequately funded. The area overall will have lost over £100 million by next year. Dudley Metropolitan Tuesday 6 November 2018 Borough Council’s spending power has been cut by 20%, while Surrey, which the Chancellor represents, The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock has actually had an increase. Why is he treating Dudley so unfairly? PRAYERS Mr Speaker: This is about the adequacy of school funding. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Ian Austin: Which I am interested in. Oral Answers to Questions Mr Speaker: Very well done. Mr Hammond: As the hon. Gentleman will know, the national funding formula is providing every local authority TREASURY with more money for every pupil in every school. The Chancellor of the Exchequer was asked— Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) (Con): I welcome the extra £400 million that the Chancellor found in his School Funding Budget for school funding. North East Lincolnshire has two nursery schools that have been particularly badly 1. Sir Vince Cable (Twickenham) (LD): What recent affected by the current funding regime. The hon. Member discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for for Great Grimsby (Melanie Onn) and I have met the Education on the adequacy of schools funding. [907466] Education Minister responsible, but it would be helpful The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr Philip Hammond): if the Chancellor could arrange for us to meet one of More money is going into schools than ever before. his ministerial team to pursue the matter. Schools will receive over £42 billion of core funding this year and £43.5 billion next year. Our investment in Mr Hammond: As my hon. Friend will know, we are schools is paying off, with 86% of schools now rated putting a record £6 billion into childcare and guaranteeing good or outstanding compared with 68% in 2010. Schools working parents 30 hours a week of childcare for three funding for 2020-21 onwards will be considered along and four-year-olds, but I am happy to ask one of my with all areas of non-NHS departmental spending at colleagues to meet him. We are always happy to discuss next year’s spending review. such issues. This aspect of funding, along with all others, can also be considered in the round at the Sir Vince Cable: The Chancellor will already be aware spending review. that the £400 million for “little extras” has gone down like a lead balloon with schools that cannot afford the 20. [907489] Stephen Gethins (North East Fife) (SNP): basics, but will he explain why there was not even a Austerity under this Government and the previous one penny of additional money for post-16 colleges, most of has cost the Scottish Government £2 billion, meaning which are in a desperate financial position and cannot less money for education and other public services. Will carry out their training functions? Is the further education the Chancellor bring an end to this failed austerity and sector just another “little extra”? also repay the £175 million from VAT on police and fire services? Mr Hammond: As the right hon. Gentleman will know, we have launched a significant initiative for the Mr Hammond: What the hon. Gentleman does know, FE sector with the Government’s new T-level programme, but chooses not to say, is that as a result of the measures which is being rolled out over the next few years. The announced in the Budget last week, including the huge programme involves a funding commitment of an increase in NHS England funding, Scotland will receive additional £500 million a year to increase contact time over £2 billion more through the Barnett formula by between learners and teachers or work environments 2023-24. by 50%. Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): Will the John Stevenson (Carlisle) (Con): Education at all Chancellor confirm that public spending on schools has levels clearly matters for our economy and our country. never been higher in the history of our country? Will he Financing education properly is important, and I will also repeat for the benefit of the House the proportion be taking a keen interest during the spending review. of pupils in good and outstanding schools now, compared However, does the Chancellor agree that money is not with when Labour left office? everything and that good teaching and well-managed schools are of equal importance? Mr Hammond: My hon. Friend is absolutely right on both counts. He might also be interested in the OECD Mr Hammond: Of course. My hon. Friend is absolutely data, which shows that England is the top spender in right. They say, don’t they, that no one ever forgets a the G7 on schools and colleges delivering primary and good teacher? This is about excellence in teaching and secondary education, as a percentage of GDP.We spend in the leadership of our schools, and a well-resourced more on primary and secondary education than Germany, system led by excellent leaders and staffed by brilliant France, Japan and Australia, both as a percentage of teachers is the best guarantee of Britain’s bright future. GDP and on a per pupil basis. 1355 Oral Answers 6 NOVEMBER 2018 Oral Answers 1356 Leaving the EU: Tax Revenues of new builds, on which he wishes to extend the scope somewhat. I believe that my office has now arranged a 2. Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab): What meeting with him, and I look forward to it taking place recent assessment he has made of the potential effect on within the coming days and weeks. tax revenues of the UK leaving the EU. [907468] Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP): Will the Minister ensure that both he and the Chancellor The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mel Stride): take steps in advance of the next Budget to ensure that The Government will be coming forward with a full and thousands of jobs can be created, particularly in Northern appropriate analysis of the impact of the deal we negotiate Ireland, by looking at air passenger duty and at VAT in with the European Union well in time for the meaningful the hospitality sector? vote. Mel Stride: As the hon. Gentleman will know, we Christian Matheson: The Government’s own figures have consulted on APD and VAT on tourism in Northern demonstrate between a 2% and 8% hit on the broader Ireland, and we have now reported back on that economy after Brexit. Is it not the case that there is no consultation. We are setting up a technical working form of Brexit that will not have a massive impact on group to look specifically at the issue of short-haul the public finances and, therefore, on public services? APD to see whether there is some way in which that could be addressed. Mel Stride: We are in the middle of a negotiation. At the appropriate moment, when we know exactly what Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con): Even the deal is—the deal that is available and that we have before that great day, what reassurance can the Minister negotiated—we will of course come forward with a full give to those of us who hold on to the quaint belief that and comprehensive analysis of both the fiscal and the Budgets should balance? economic impacts of that deal. Mel Stride: We take a very balanced approach to the economy, which of course includes ensuring that we Charlie Elphicke (Dover) (Ind): Is it not important stick rigorously to our fiscal rules. We have met the two that the public and Parliament are able to scrutinise not intermediate rules a full three years early. We continue just the Treasury assumptions on tax as we leave the to bear down on the deficit, and debt as a percentage of European Union but the Treasury assumptions on all GDP will continue to fall throughout every year of this aspects of the economy under the Treasury’s CGE— Parliament. computable general equilibrium—model? Will the Treasury publish that model as soon as possible? Kirsty Blackman (Aberdeen North) (SNP): Each additional EU citizen working in Scotland contributes Mel Stride: As I say, we will come forward with a full £10,400 to Government revenue. What assessment has and appropriate analysis.Of course,prior to the meaningful the Minister made of the reduction in tax revenue as a vote, the Government will ensure that there is appropriate result of the ending of free movement? time to fully debate all these matters. Mel Stride: I am sorry to keep reverting to the same Alison McGovern (Wirral South) (Lab): Our country answer, but it is effectively the same question that I keep already suffers from brutal inequality, so will the Minister being asked: “What will the analysis look like when the say whether that analysis will be broken down by region deal is concluded?” Of course that prompts the question and sub-region so we can see exactly what the impact of of what exactly the deal will be. In the fullness of time, Brexit will be on the communities we represent? when the deal is agreed, we will come back to the House with a full analysis.