HC Deb 21 October 1986 vol 102 cc936-8
9. Mr. Boyes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to how many new day nursery places have been provided by social services departments in the year 1985–86.

Mrs. Currie

There were 28,870 day nursery places provided by local authority social services departments in England at 31 March 1985. Final figures for 31 March 1986 are not yet available. However, the returns received so far show that the number of places increased in 19 authorities, decreased in 15 and remained the same in 57. Overall, there were a similar number of places at 31 March 1986 as the year before.

Mr. Boyes

Does that not show that the situation is inadequate if one considers that the number of children subjected to physical and sexual abuse is increasing and that that leads to an increased demand for day nursery places? For example, in Sunderland the number of non-accidental injury registrations has increased by 50 per cent. over the past three years. What is more, Sunderland has a known demand that it cannot satisfy. Are not the care and protection of our children essential elements in a democratic society? What is the Minister going to do about the problems of Sunderland and other local authorities in a similar position?

Mrs. Currie

As the hon. Gentleman knows, we take the problem of child abuse very seriously. It is a matter of increasing worry and concern. The number of places nationally should be set in the context of the 28,000 places I have just mentioned, 24,000 places in voluntary and private nurseries, 42,000 full-time and 224,000 part-time places in nursery schools and nursery classes run by the local education authorities, 58,000 childminders, with places for 126,000 children and more than 400,000 places in playgroups. I consider that diversity and volume of services to be adequate.

Mr. Galley

I warmly welcome my hon. Friend to her new post. As she has now been in office for a few weeks, may I ask her what plans she has developed to encourage social services depts to use registered childminders as an adjunct to and replacement of day nurseries, because the cost per place is more than half of day nursery provision? In that way she will be able to help twice as many children for the same resources.

Mrs. Currie

I agree with my hon. Friend that childminder provision is most important. I can speak on that from personal experience. We are delighted to see that the number of childminder places went up by 29 per cent. between 1982 and 1985, and we encourage local authorities to improve that provision.

Ms. Harman

Is the hon. Lady aware that the DHSS under-fives initiative ends in April next year? Will she make a statement about the future of projects financed under that scheme? Is she aware that a number of projects providing services for children under five are at risk because they are located in council areas —[Interruption.] Is she aware that those projects at risk include three childminder support projects'? They are at risk of closure because they are located in boroughs which are being subjected to severe spending restrictions by the Department of the Environment. Will the hon. Lady, at the very least, consider a joint transitional funding arrangement so that her Department can pay half if local councils pay half of the cost of those projects which end in April next year?

Mr. Speaker

Order. I appeal to the House to listen to the answers and questions.

Mrs. Currie

I thank the hon. Lady for drawing attention to the Government's under-fives initiative. We have spent some £6–5 million over the past three years funding 110 different projects with 15 different agencies. The whole idea and intention was that it should be a pump-priming exercise. Many of those schemes have proven their worth and already have guaranteed funding from next year onwards.