§ 15 and 22. Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many nursery school places he expects to approve for Wales for 1973;
(2) how many nursery school places he expects to approve for the constituency of East Flintshire in 1973.
§ Mr. Peter ThomasNursery places are provided at present under the Urban Aid Programme and I shall shortly be inviting proposals for phase 7 of this programme, which will include capital projects to be started in 1973–74.
§ Mr. JonesIs the right hon. and learned Genetleman aware that the figures for the provision of nursery schooling in Wales are scandalously low? Has he no interest in the under-fives? Will he take an interest in the requirements of the large new housing estate in East Flintshire where there is not a single nursery school?
§ Mr. ThomasThe hon. Gentleman should not use the term "scandalously low", nor should he suggest that I have no interest in the under-fives. In 1971 I programmed 2,440 nursery places, four times as many places as in the previous 10 years, and in two years I have programmed seven times as many nursery places as the previous Administration did in six years. For the period 1970–72 I have programmed 400 nursery places in East Flintshire alone.