With news that Schools Minister, David Milliband, contacted Michael
Fabricant yesterday to tell him that the Department has still not released
the funding figures for local education authorities, Michael is backing a
fellow Staffordshire MP, David Kidney (Labour, Stafford), calling for a
meeting of the 40 worst funded LEAs with Prime Minister Tony Blair.

"We are all at the end of our tether." says Michael Fabricant. "Meetings
with the Secretary of State for Education and the Minister for Schools have
got us all nowhere despite previous Labour pledges that Staffordshire and
other local education authorities would be funded fairly. Tony Blair is now
our last ditch chance. I am pleased that Labour and Conservative
politicians can finally unite over this issue". Michael has written to the
Prime Minister about the meeting today. The proposed meeting is also backed
by the Labour Education Leader on Staffordshire County Council, Councillor
John Brooks.

"Meanwhile, I am still awaiting figures from the Department for Education
which will give our education formula funding share for primary and
secondary school pupils in Staffordshire and elsewhere. I will release this
information to everyone as soon as I am given it. It was due yesterday and
I am appalled that it is being held back", Michael adds.