EDUCATION, ENGLAND AND WALES Citation, commencement and interpretation 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Education (Grants for Early Excellence Centres) (England) Regulations 1998 and shall come into force on 21st August 1998. 2 In these Regulations— “approved expenditure” means any expenditure which is approved by the Secretary of State for the purposes of the payment of grant; “determine” means determine by notice in writing; “early excellence centre” means an institution for providing education and other services for children under compulsory school age (whether or not it also provides such services for other persons) participating in the Department for Education and Employment’s pilot programme for early excellence centres; and “grant” means a grant under these Regulations. Expenditure in respect of which grants are payable 3 The Secretary of State may pay grants to persons other than local education authorities in respect of approved expenditure incurred or to be incurred by them in a financial year for the purposes of or in connection with the provision by them of education, daycare in association with education, training and development and other activities designed to disseminate good practice in the matters referred to in this regulation, family education and related services at or through an early excellence centre. Rate of grant 4 Grant in respect of approved expenditure shall be payable at the rate of 100 per cent. of such expenditure. Conditions for payment of grant 5 1 No payment of grant shall be made except in response to an application in writing to the Secretary of State, authenticated by the person responsible for the administration of the financial affairs of the person applying for the grant. 2 Applications for the payment of grant shall relate to expenditure over one or more of the periods specified in paragraph 3 below and shall specify the approved expenditure in respect of which grant is applied for which has been or which it is estimated will be incurred by the person applying for the grant. 3 The periods referred to in paragraph (2) of this regulation are— a 1st April to 31st July; b 1st August to 31st December; c 1st January to 31st March. 6 Where at the time of approving expenditure for the purposes of these Regulations, the Secretary of State requests information in respect of any one or more of the purposes for which the payment of grant is approved, payment of grant in respect of that purpose or those purposes shall be conditional on that information being included in the person’s application for payment of grant. 7 1 The Secretary of State may from time to time determine further conditions on the fulfilment of which the making of any payment under these Regulations shall be dependent. 2 Where conditions have been determined under this regulation no grant shall be payable unless such conditions have either been fulfilled or been withdrawn under paragraph (3) below. 3 The Secretary of State may determine to withdraw, or, after consulting the person applying for the grant, vary conditions determined under this regulation. Requirements to be complied with 8 Any person to whom a payment of grant has been made shall, if so required by the Secretary of State, furnish him with such further information as may be required to enable him to verify that any grant paid has been properly paid under these Regulations. 9 1 Any person 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. 2 Requirements determined under this regulation may include requirements as to— a the repayment of grant; b the payment to the Secretary of State of other 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. 10 Without prejudice to the generality of regulations 8 and 9, any person to whom a payment of grant has been made shall— a keep such records and accounts and furnish to the Secretary of State such information, documents, returns and accounts as the Secretary of State may from time to time require, b open to the inspection of the Comptroller and Auditor General or any person authorised by the Secretary of State for the purpose the records and accounts kept pursuant to the requirement imposed under paragraph (a) above; c where grant has been paid in respect of expenditure to be incurred and the expenditure or part of it is not incurred, repay on application made in that behalf by the Secretary of State the grant paid or the proportionate part thereof, d open or cause to be opened to inspection by a person authorised by the Secretary of State for the purpose any premises of an early excellence centre at or through which the education and related services in respect of which the payments of grant are made are provided and afford to the inspector all the facilities he requires for making his inspection, and e make available to any person requiring it such information relating to the education and related services in respect of which the payments of grant are made as the Secretary of State may from time to time require. Estelle Morris Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment 29th July 1998