§ 28. Mr. George Craddockasked the Minister of Education if, in view of present and future needs, she will consider lifting the ban on the building of nursery schools, by the removal of Circular 155, issued in 1947.
§ 27. Mr. J. Hyndasked the Minister of Education whether she will now withdraw Circular No. 155 and thus enable education authorities to proceed with the provision of nursery schools.
§ Miss HorsbrughI would refer the hon. Members to the answer which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary gave to the hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Northampton (Mr. Paget) on 15th April last.
§ Mr. CraddockWill the right hon. Lady go very carefully into this matter to see whether the Government can in some part carry out their programme that they enunciated at the last Election? If the Government want to help the people they would do well to make it possible for these nursery schools to be built.
§ Miss HorsbrughI quite agree, but I think the hon. Gentleman realises that our first duty must be to the children of compulsory school age. There has been a slight increase since 1951 in the number of nursery schools, and in the number of children at them, but I cannot say that we can reverse the policy laid down in 1947 until we have got ahead with the building programme for the children of compulsory school age.