1 Introduction
1. This report arises from the Committee's annual
examination of DfES expenditure and management of resources. It
is based principally on the Department's Annual Report,[1]
and meetings with the Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP, Secretary of State
for Education and Skills, and with Mr David Normington, Permanent
Secretary, and Mr Stephen Kershaw, Director of Finance, of the
Department for Education and Skills.
2. Last year in the equivalent inquiry one expenditure
issue overshadowed all others: the funding of schools. This year
saw a more varied picture and so in this report we comment on
a range of issues about DfES expenditure on, and management of,
the services within its remit. We do, however, return to the subject
of schools' funding and changes that the Government intend to
make to the funding system, which could have far reaching effects
on schools and local authorities.
3. We are grateful for assistance with this inquiry
from Tony Travers, Director of the Greater London Group at the
London School of Economics.
1 Departmental Report 2004, Department for Education
and Skills, Cm 6202, April 2004. Back
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