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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| School spending stays protected from budget cuts | School spending stays protected from budget cuts |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The schools budget for England will remain protected from budget cuts in the government's spending review. | The schools budget for England will remain protected from budget cuts in the government's spending review. |
| Chancellor George Osborne also announced plans for a fairer funding formula for schools to remove inequalities between different areas. | Chancellor George Osborne also announced plans for a fairer funding formula for schools to remove inequalities between different areas. |
| There will be funding for 180 more free schools and 20 university technical colleges and 20 studio schools. | There will be funding for 180 more free schools and 20 university technical colleges and 20 studio schools. |
| Mr Osborne told MPs that spending on education was the "single best investment". | Mr Osborne told MPs that spending on education was the "single best investment". |
| The education budget for 2015-16 will "increase to £53bn and school spending will be protected in real terms", the chancellor announced. | The education budget for 2015-16 will "increase to £53bn and school spending will be protected in real terms", the chancellor announced. |
| Funding formula | Funding formula |
| Mr Osborne promised that a consultation would begin for a national funding formula to address the way that money is not "equally distributed" between schools, the chancellor told the House of Commons. | Mr Osborne promised that a consultation would begin for a national funding formula to address the way that money is not "equally distributed" between schools, the chancellor told the House of Commons. |
| He announced extra support for the creation of 180 more free schools in 2015-16, which are set up by parents or other groups. There are already more than 80 open with a further 200 in the pipeline. | He announced extra support for the creation of 180 more free schools in 2015-16, which are set up by parents or other groups. There are already more than 80 open with a further 200 in the pipeline. |
| There will also be 20 more studio schools which young people can attend part-time while working. | There will also be 20 more studio schools which young people can attend part-time while working. |
| There will be 20 more university technical colleges which are intended to provide a stronger vocational education. | There will be 20 more university technical colleges which are intended to provide a stronger vocational education. |
| The protection of the school budget was welcomed by head teachers' leader Russell Hobby. | The protection of the school budget was welcomed by head teachers' leader Russell Hobby. |
| He also supported plans for a fairer national funding formula, saying that "budgets can differ by thousands of pounds per pupil for no good reason". | He also supported plans for a fairer national funding formula, saying that "budgets can differ by thousands of pounds per pupil for no good reason". |
| But Mr Hobby, leader of the National Association of Head Teachers, was critical of extra spending on free schools, describing it as an "inefficient use of a limited capital budget" when there was such a pressure to create more primary school places. | But Mr Hobby, leader of the National Association of Head Teachers, was critical of extra spending on free schools, describing it as an "inefficient use of a limited capital budget" when there was such a pressure to create more primary school places. |
| Mr Osborne's package of spending cuts include an end to annual progression payments in the public sector, a move that had already been announced for teachers. | Mr Osborne's package of spending cuts include an end to annual progression payments in the public sector, a move that had already been announced for teachers. |
| There were warnings that cuts to local government would have a knock-on effect for schools. | There were warnings that cuts to local government would have a knock-on effect for schools. |
| David Simmonds, chairman of the Local Government Association's Children and Young People Board, warned that a £200m cut to council funding for school improvement would make it harder for schools to raise standards. | David Simmonds, chairman of the Local Government Association's Children and Young People Board, warned that a £200m cut to council funding for school improvement would make it harder for schools to raise standards. |
| "Government's promise to protect school budgets has been undermined by this disproportionate 20% cut to the vital support they receive from councils," said Mr Simmonds. | "Government's promise to protect school budgets has been undermined by this disproportionate 20% cut to the vital support they receive from councils," said Mr Simmonds. |
| The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, responsible for universities, will face a 6% cut. | |
| This will include not raising student maintenance grants in line with inflation, saving £60m. | |
| Mr Osborne promised a greater commitment to science and research, saying that previous governments had put "short-term pressures over long-term needs". | Mr Osborne promised a greater commitment to science and research, saying that previous governments had put "short-term pressures over long-term needs". |
| He commended developments such as synthetic biology and graphene. | |
| But the ring-fenced protection of school spending was challenged by Sir David Bell, vice chancellor of Reading University and former permanent secretary at the Department for Education. | But the ring-fenced protection of school spending was challenged by Sir David Bell, vice chancellor of Reading University and former permanent secretary at the Department for Education. |
| School funding "ought to have been exposed to the same scrutiny as other aspects of government spending", said Sir David. | School funding "ought to have been exposed to the same scrutiny as other aspects of government spending", said Sir David. |