Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd at 1:57 pm on 17 October 2018.

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Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat 1:57, 17 October 2018

There is not a Barnett consequential to pay for teachers' pay rises. In England, that money has to come out of the Department for Education. These are resources that we have persuaded the Westminster Government it was their duty to provide for us, so it's not a Barnett consequential. Although that seems like a minor thing, actually, it is, in the big scheme of things, quite an important distinction to make. I can also be absolutely clear that every single penny of that money will be distributed, via the revenue support grant, to local authorities to be used for teachers' pay. None of it will be retained in the centre. The £15 million is additional to my budget; that's why you will see a plus sign next to the education main expenditure group in the finance Minister's paperwork. We will be distributing that money via individual local authorities. It will primarily be for the purpose of professional development, and I hope to make a statement to the Chamber at a later date to give full details of our new professional development package for existing staff in our schools.