Governments Education Plans Will Fail Without Funding - Sollitt

8.48.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 23rd Jun 2006

Responding to the comments that David Bell, a senior civil servant at the Department for Education and Skills, made at the Education and Skills Select Committee saying that he expects a "tighter'" financial climate for education as a result of next year's Comprehensive Spending Review, Liberal Democrat Campaigner for Southampton Test said:

"It's a real concern to hear a top official concede that belts will have to be tightened in schools over the next few years.

"This admission is embarrassing for both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor. It implies that even if the government has high ambitions for education - whether for increasing specialist teachers or for getting 50% of young people into university - there won't be the funding to realise them.

"Despite Tony Blair's much repeated mantra it doesn't look as if the government is putting the resources behind their slogans."