§ Mrs. Renée Short (Wolverhampton, North-East)I have the honour to present a petition on behalf of the National Campaign for Nursery Education, which has been campaigning for some time to see nursery education expanded. This objective is shared on an all-party basis. I am glad to see that the Conservative Vice-President of the Campaign for Nursery Education, the hon. Member for Ripon (Dr. Hampson), is present in the Chamber. The campaign has vice-presidents from all parties, and we are all anxious to see this petition enacted by Her Majesty's Government.
The petition reads as follows:
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. The Humble Petition of supporters of the National Campaign for Nursery Education showeth that there is an urgent need to move towards the provision of Nursery Education for all children whose parents request it.Wherefore your petitioners pray that your Honourable House will:Pass legislation to make it a statutory duty on Local Education Authorities to provide Nursery Education in accordance with local needs and the wishes of parents; and this legislation should include provision for the necessary financing of the cost entailed.And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.I wish to announce that the petition contains 117,206 signatures.
§ To lie upon the Table.