The petition of Residents of the constituency of East Worthing and Shoreham,
Declares that climate change is a serious and pressing concern and needs urgent attention from the Governments of the world.
The petitions therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to ensure that London hosts the upcoming COP 26 Climate Change Conference in 2020.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Tim Loughton, Official Report, 18 June 2019; Vol. 662, c. 206.]
[P002464]
Petitions in the same terms were presented by the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Vicky Ford) [P002466]; the hon. Member for Witney (Robert Courts) [P002467]; the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire (Nigel Huddleston) [P002469]; the hon. Member for Gloucester (Richard Graham) [P002472] and the hon. Member for Lewes (Maria Caulfield) [P002475].
Observations from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr David Lidington): Climate change is the biggest challenge of our times. The Government are committed to tackling the threat that climate change poses, through its domestic and international action.
To this end, the Government have legislated to reduce UK net emissions to zero by 2050. The Government are also bidding to host the 26th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in partnership with Italy. Our presidency of COP26 would seek to bring about transformative change in global action to tackle climate change.
Education
Funding for Russell Hall Primary School
The petition of residents of the United Kingdom
Declares that Russell Hall Primary School has seen a decline in funding per pupil and a reduction in the lump sum allocated to the school by almost £65,000 in 2018/19 and by the same in 2019/20; further that the school is facing a significant deficit budget and is having to make staff redundancies to save money, including the reduction of vital frontline teaching staff, the restructure of support staff roles and the end of additional services currently available to children such as the Early Bird Club.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to increase per pupil funding and reverse the cuts made to school budgets.
And the petitioners remain, etc. —[Presented by Judith Cummins, Official Report, 22 May 2019; Vol. 660, c. 274 .]
[P002455]
Observations from the Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb):
We recognise the budgeting challenges schools face and that we are asking them to do more. The Government have prioritised school spending, even while having to take difficult public spending decisions in other areas. As a result, core funding for schools and high needs has risen from almost £41 billion in 2017-18 to £43.5 billion this year. Funding remains high by historic standards: IFS figures show that real terms per pupil funding for 5 to 16 year olds in 2020 will be more than 50% higher than it was in 2000 and more than 70% higher than in 1990.
20 of 60 shown
Spending plans beyond 2019-20 have not yet been set and naturally, we cannot pre-empt these decisions.
The introduction of the national funding formula (NFF) for schools has delivered on our promise to reform the unfair, opaque and outdated schools funding system. It is now directing money where it is most needed, based on schools’ and pupils’ characteristics, rather than the accidents of geography or history. Since 2017, we have given every local authority more money for every pupil in every school, while allocating the biggest increases to the schools that have been most underfunded.