Debates between Robin Walker and Julian Sturdy during the 2010-2015 Parliament

Schools Funding

Debate between Robin Walker and Julian Sturdy
Tuesday 29th April 2014

(10 years, 6 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for that intervention. He has been a long-term champion of fairer funding for schools, and I think that his constituent, Helen Donovan, would be very proud of the work he has done on that front. The Worcestershire Association of School Business Managers and head teachers and governors have expressed their appreciation for the progress made so far, but he is right that there is still much further to go.

Having made the campaign my No. 1 priority as a result of meeting all the primary school heads in Worcester during my time as a candidate—every single one of whom railed at the unfairness of the funding system—I promised them that further progress will and must follow. Some F40 areas have not however been so fortunate, and I want to ensure this debate hears the voices of those such as Warrington, Trafford, Solihull and Nottinghamshire who, despite being F40 members and languishing towards the bottom of the tables for per pupil funding, have yet to see progress.

Julian Sturdy Portrait Julian Sturdy (York Outer) (Con)
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I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate and on all the work that he has done on this. One authority that he did not mention is York, which is moving towards the bottom of the school funding table. We have made great steps forward, and we must congratulate the Government and the Minister on doing that, but we are still some way off having that level playing field that authorities such as mine strive for.

Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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I wholeheartedly agree with my hon. Friend. I will come on to some of the reasons why that might be the case in my later comments.