HC Deb 01 February 1994 vol 236 cc729-31
5. Sir David Knox

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on nursery education.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Mr. Eric Forth)

The Government's policy is to promote choice, diversity, quality and cost-effectiveness of pre-school provision in the poublic and private sectors. More than 90 per cent. of three and four year-olds now receive some form of provision—more than half of them in maintained nursery and primary schools. We are now exploring ways of adding still further, as resources allow, to the choice parents have.

Sir David Knox

Is my hon. Friend aware that, although there is excellent provision for nursery education in Stoke-on-Trent, there is virtually none in the rest of Staffordshire? Does he consider that fair?

Mr. Forth

My hon. Friend knows well that the extent and nature of provision is entirely a matter for the local education authority. I should have thought that his local education authority would find it extremely difficult to justify its position to its electorate if its provision of nursery education were unevenly and unfairly distributed, as my hon. Friend suggests.

Ms Estelle Morris

Does the Minister realise that he has just made it clear that the Government do not seem to want to adopt a policy on nursery education? Does he accept that that attitude has left Britain at the bottom of the European league of nursery education providers? Is he happy with a policy under which whether one's child gets nursery education depends on where one lives and not on the child's needs? When will he ensure that young children in Tory areas get as good access to nursery education as those in Labour Walsall, Cleveland and Birmingham?

Mr. Forth

I wonder which of the hon. Lady's colleagues she agrees with? Would it be the Labour conference in 1993, which said: nursery education to be available as of right to children from the age of four"? Or does she agree with the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor) on the Labour Front Bench who said about a year ago The Labour party is, and always has been, committed to pre-school provision"? Or does she agree with the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) who said on radio just the other day: there are no manifesto commitments at this stage … there is no commitment to spend money on anything"? It is time that Labour Members came clean.

Mr. Evennett

Does my hon. Friend agree that we should have choice and diversity in the provision of pre-school education? Does he further agree that we should congratulate the work of the Pre-School Playgroups Association, which does a tremendous amount of good work for children throughout the country? The Opposition never acknowledge that good work.

Mr. Forth

I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. It is part of the hidden agenda of Labour Members. By implying that they will extend mandatory provision for pre-fives but not telling us how they would pay for it, they are threatening the existence of the excellent pre-school playgroup movement to which my hon. Friend alluded. We acknowledge the excellence of that provision and want to promote continued choice and diversity for children up and down the country.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

Will the Minister tell us—calmly, if he can—whether the Secretary of State ever speaks to the Prime Minister? If so, can he clear up the Government's shambles on nursery education? Last year, the junior Minister said that I had an obsession with nursery education. As the Prime Minister now says that he is mad keen on nursery education, will the Minister clear up the confusion in the Conservative party and tell us, yes or no: do Education Ministers back the Prime Minister? Do they favour universal nursery education?

Mr. Forth

I think that the House will be much more interested in knowing whether—[HON. MEMBERS: "Answer."] I will answer—the hon. Lady's colleague, the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown), shares her obsession with nursery education. From what I said a moment ago, it would appear that he does not. The direct answer to the hon. Lady's question is this. In an excellent speech to the north of England education conference only a few weeks ago, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said: The Prime Minister and I are therefore keen to find ways of helping to extend over time the amount of nursery schooling available. I hope that that answers the hon. Lady's question.