Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Grants for School Improvements (Scotland) Regulations 1997 and shall come into force on 19th December 1997.

Grants for school improvements

2.-(1) The Secretary of State may pay to education authorities in accordance with these Regulations grants in respect of capital expenditure incurred or to be incurred by them for or in connection with either of the following purposes:-�

(a)the repair, improvement, or replacement of any building used or intended to be used by them for the purposes of a school;

(b)the improvement of facilities for information technology in schools under their management.

(2) In paragraph (1) "building" includes any fixtures and fittings affixed to, and any playground area associated with, the building.

Determination and payment of grants

3.-(1) Grants under these Regulations shall be of such amounts and paid at such rates and in respect of such periods as the Secretary of State may determine.

(2) Grants under these Regulations may be paid as single payments or by instalments of such amounts and at such times as the Secretary of State may determine.

Conditions for payment of grant

4.-(1) No payment of grant shall be made except in response to an application in writing from an education authority to the Secretary of State.

(2) The Secretary of State may from time to time determine further conditions on the fulfilment of which the making of any payment in pursuance of these Regulations shall be dependent.

(3) Where conditions have been determined in pursuance of paragraph (2) no grant shall be payable unless such conditions have either been fulfilled or been withdrawn in pursuance of paragraph (4).

(4) The Secretary of State may determine to withdraw or, after consulting the education authority, vary conditions determined in pursuance of paragraph (2).

Requirements relating to grants

5.-(1) Any grant paid under these Regulations shall be used only for the purposes for which it was paid.

(2) An education authority to whom a payment of grant has been made shall, if so required by the Secretary of State, provide him with such information as may be required to enable him to verify that any grant has been properly paid and applied under these Regulations.

(3) An education authority to whom a payment of grant has been made shall comply with such requirements as may be determined by the Secretary of State in the case in question.

(4) Requirements determined under paragraph (3) may include requirements as to-�

(a)the repayment of grant;

(b)the payment to the Secretary of State of sums related to the value of assets acquired, provided or improved with the aid of grant; or

(c)the payment of interest on sums due to the Secretary of State.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations enable the Secretary of State to pay capital grants to education authorities in Scotland for expenditure for the following purposes-�

(a)the repair, improvement or replacement of school buildings; and

(b)the improvement of facilities for information technology in schools.