Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, commenting on an
Education Policy Institute (EPI) report into school funding that claims
secondary schools could be forced to lose the equivalent of six teachers as a
result of severe funding cuts, said:

“Labour supports fairer funding for our schools, but the
Government’s formula simply moves already inadequate sums of money around
– the overall pot is not being increased.

“Even without the proposed formula, schools are already
seeing both real-terms cuts to their spending and rising costs on top.
Headteachers are being forced to choose between cutting subjects or cutting the
school week.

“Less than two years ago the Tories promised millions of parents
that they would protect the money that is spent per pupil on their children’s
education. This report shows that it is yet another manifesto promise they are
breaking.”

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The added value created in Beijing’s industries above designated size from January to February increased by 9.5 percent over the same period last year, mostly driven by the high-tech manufacturing and modern manufacturing industries with their added value rising by 19.9 percent and 16.5 percent respectively, surpassing the city’s average by 10.4 and 7 percentage points.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Beijing police have detained a man on Mar. 13 for discharging untreated emissions into the air. It is the first time that Beijing police have put someone behind bars since an air pollution crackdown was launched in February.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang will join hands to build a world-class airport cluster.There will be about 260 airports across China in 2020 when the new airports in Beijing and Chengdu and other major projects are constructed and put into operation.

I was pleased to hear in the budget that my representations along with other MPs for more money for social care had been accepted. I had made it one of the principal features of my pre budget oral and written submissions to the Chancellor

I was less happy when I heard of Wokingham’s small share of the total. I am now taking this up with Ministers to see why Wokingham has not got more of the increase.