To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much capital expenditure there was in the education sector in West Lancashire constituency in each year since 1997. (143526)

The Department maintains records of capital allocations on a local authority rather than a constituency basis, also not on an expenditure basis. This is because local authorities may have access to other capital resources, and they decide locally when and how resources should be spent. Capital allocations by the Department to Lancashire in each year since 1997 are set out in the following table.

The increase in funding of £16.6 million in 2006-07, compared with 2005-06, is largely explained by Targeted Capital Fund schemes and a maintained boarding schools grant.