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Sure Start: Finance

Answer

The funding allocated to local authorities for Sure Start since its inception is shown in Table 1:

Table 1
£ million
	Revenue	Capital	Total
1998-99	140	0	140
1999-2000	192	0	192
2000-01	353	0	353
2001-02	449	0	449
2002-03	501	23	524
2003-04	573	25	598
2004-06¹	1,588	354	1,943
20.06-07	1,048	270	1,318
2007-08	1,143	543	1,686
2008-09	1,327	306	1,633
2009-10	1,555	416	1,971
2010-11	1,839	367	2,207
Total	10,707	2,304	13,011
¹ In 2004 to 2006 local authorities received a two year allocation

The first Sure Start local programmes (SSLPs) were set up in 1999-2000. Prior to 2003-04 SSLP revenue funding was provided to local programmes not to local authorities and is therefore excluded from the table above. From 2003-04 it was paid to local authorities and is included in the table above. The most reliable data for the period prior to 2003 are for expenditure rather than allocation.The SSLP revenue expenditure for 1999-2003 is shown in Table 2:

Table 2
£ million
	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03
SSLP revenue expenditure	3	33	105	174

The SSLPs received a single capital allocation for the period 1999 to 2006 of £479,638,144.From April 2011, Sure Start children's centres funding will be provided to local authorities via the Early Intervention Grant which is an un-ring-fenced and un- hypothecated grant for early intervention and preventative services that will total £2,222,555,697 in 2011-12 and £2,307,196,996 in 2012-13. Allocations beyond 2012-13 have not been announced.Sure Start children's centres are at the heart of the Government's vision for supporting families with young children and intervening early to prevent problems from becoming crises. Through the Early Intervention Grant, the Government have ensured there is enough money to retain a network of Sure Start children's centres, accessible to all but identifying and supporting families in greatest need. The Government have made it clear that it is for local authorities to determine the most effective use of the grant. Local authorities will have greater flexibility, but they remain under statutory duties under the Childcare Act 2006 to consult before opening, closing or significantly changing children's centres and to secure sufficient children's centres provision to meet local need, so far as is reasonably practicable.For details of final local authority EIG allocations please go to:"http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/xls/e/early%20intervention%20grant%20-%20final%20allocations%20methodology.xls"

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

48252; 526 c499-501W

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Finance Sure Start programme

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk