James Cartlidge - the MP for South Suffolk - used prime minister’s questions to welcome the government announcement this week that it plans to shake up the way that schools are funded, which leaves Suffolk institutions worse off than their city counterparts.
Mr Cartlidge said: “Schools in South Suffolk were delighted this week to see the publication of the Government’s consultation on fairer funding.”
He said that the consultation focused on “core principles” and that it must be that rural schools faced “unique and unavoidable costs that are not well funded under the current formula”.
Responding in the House of Commons chamber David Cameron said: “It is right that we are examining the formula and trying to achieve better fairness. I think everyone can now see that the gap between the best-funded schools and the worst-funded schools has become too great. I also agree that it is vital that the specific needs of schools in rural areas are properly considered. That is why our consultation proposes that we should direct additional funding to small schools in sparsely populated areas.”
Published in the EADT