Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to bring forward the fair funding formula.

The government is committed to introducing national funding formulae for early years, schools and high needs, so that funding is better matched to need.

We will introduce a national funding formula for early years from financial year 2017-18. A consultation on the early years formula closed on 22 September, and we will set out our response later in the autumn.

We will introduce national funding formulae for schools and high needs from financial year 2018-19. We are considering the options carefully, taking into account the need to give schools and local authorities stability. We will put forward our detailed proposals later in the autumn, including our proposals for the transition to the formulae. Following a full consultation, we will make final decisions and confirm arrangements in the new year.