§ 6. Mr. Butcherasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of nursery school places now available in England and Wales in the maintained sector; and how this compares with each of the last five years:
§ Dr. BoysonIn January 1980, there were 47,000 full-time and 169,000, part-time pupils attending maintained nursery schools and nursery classes in maintained primary schools in England. Compared with 1975, the overall total represents an increase of 56 per cent. The responsibility for nursery education in Wales lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
§ Mr. ButcherMay I congratulate my hon. Friend on rapidly improving nursery provision in England and Wales? Do not the figures show that recent criticism—perhaps even hysteria—over lack of nursery provision is largely unfounded?
§ Dr. BoysonI welcome my hon. Friend's comments. The number of children in nursery classes increased by 5,200 between January 1979 and January 1980. We do not yet have figures for 1981.
§ Mr. NewensWhat is the hon. Gentleman's policy on nursery education? Does he believe that it should ultimately be provided for all children, and are the Government working to that end? Is this not an excellent opportunity to increase nursery education by using teachers and others who would otherwise be unemployed?
§ Dr. BoysonThe policy of the past three Governments has been to provide nursery education for children whose parents wanted it. Despite the limited resources, over the next three years money will be used to adapt redundant classrooms for nursery classes.
§ Mr. Bob DunnCannot the need for nursery school places best be met by encouraging playgroup schemes?
§ Dr. BoysonMy hon. Friend's question gives me the opportunity to pay tribute to playgroups, which, together with certain housing arrangements, have made excellent progress and have been areas of the greatest growth in voluntary self-help since the war. I thoroughly commend them to everyone.
§ Miss Joan LestorWill the hon. Gentleman reconsider his answer that it has been the policy of all Governments to ensure that nursery education is available for children of all parents who want it, as provision in different local authority areas varies enormously, and in many areas parents who would like nursery education for their children are denied it?
§ Dr. BoysonI am grateful for the opportunity to clarify my answer. It has been the aim of successive Governments to move towards the provision of nursery education for 850 children of all parents who want it, when resources are available, but there is always great demand on the resources of any Government.