A GOVERNMENT scheme to give schools in Lancashire more funding has been welcomed by Pendle MP Gordon Prentice.

Education secretary David Blunkett told the MP that Lancashire Education Authority would get a total allocation of £510.1million for the Standard Spending Assessment plus £4.5million in special grants.

Mr Prentice said: "Our children deserve first class education and the government is doing its best to make sure they get the resources they need."

He said that schools in Lancashire will receive around £13.8million cash in the hand from the new schools standards grant next year compared with £7.6million this year.

A typical primary school would receive £20,000 while a secondary school would receive around £60,000.