HC Deb 25 January 1983 vol 35 cc776-7
11. Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will provide additional money to local authorities to enable them to extend the level of nursery education provision; and if he will make a statement.

Dr. Boyson

The Government's expenditure plans allow for some expansion in the total of nursery education provision by local education authorities. Nursery education is a discretionary provision and each authority must decide what priority it gives to it.

Mr. Skinner

Is it not a fact that during three and a half years of Tory Government nursery education as administered by local authorities has been run down, but that private nursery education, where people have the money to buy, has followed the Prime Minister's instinct about freedom of choice? Tories do not care about those areas where working-class people need a state nursery education system for their children. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that that is verified by the fact that yesterday he announced in a written answer that nursery school teachers had been sacked by the Government in the past three and a half years, when there is a crying need, mainly in the north of England, but also in other regions, for expansion?

Dr. Boyson

We should examine the figures from the beginning. At the moment, 22 per cent. of children aged three and four receive nursery education, whereas in 1977 only 15 per cent. did so—an increase of 7 per cent.—and there are now 12,000 more children of that age receiving nursery education.

That hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) may not like it, but there were more children in nursery schools in January 1982 than in January 1981. When figures for January 1983 are available, I shall be delighted to send them to him. The hon. Gentleman and his family must have influence on the Labour-controlled council in Derbyshire. This year the council has asked for and received £118,000 for nursery school building programmes. The hon. Gentleman should lobby the council to ensure that Bolsover receives its fair share.

Mr. Greenway

Does my hon. Friend agree that play groups are also important and do good work? Does he have any figures for the number of children under five who attend play groups?

Dr. Boyson

I do not have any such figures. I knew that the hon. Member for Bolsover would ask about nursery schools, but I did not know that my hon. Friend would ask about play groups. I understand that the number has increased. The increase in the number of play groups and housing associations since the second world war has been the biggest advance in a free society that has been carried out by people themselves.

Miss Joan Lestor

Would the hon. Gentleman care to review what he has just said about nursery school places, as many local authorities which hitherto provided a full-day placement for children now provide a part-day placement in order to spread the availability of nursery education? Does he agree that the distribution of nursery school places throughout the country varies enormously from area to area and that unless and until the Government give local authorities the statutory duty to make such provision, many children, usually in poorer areas, will continue to be deprived of this facility?

Dr. Boyson

I am sure that the hon. Lady will be pleased to know that two-thirds of nursery school provision in Britain is in city and deprived areas. The bulk of the money is spent, and the bulk of nursery school teachers are required, in those areas. That applies especially to ethnic minority groups, which must be enabled to be brought up to a normal standard of class tuition as quickly as possible.

Mr. Dobson

Does the Minister agree that, under the ludicrous rate support grant system, some authorities provide nursery education which they want to expand but do not have the funds to do so, while others provide no nursery school education, yet receive rate support grant as if they did?

Dr. Boyson

I suggest that the hon. Gentleman consults the AMA and the ACC. He will discover that they strongly support discretionary powers of that type. They would be the last to agree with him that more powers should be taken away from local education authorities.