HC Deb 18 March 1996 vol 274 c15
17. Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of (a) three-year-olds and (b) four-year-olds are in state education in Gwent and in Clwyd. [19389]

Mr. Richards

At January 1995, 50.4 per cent. of three-year-olds and 93.7 per cent. of four-year-olds were in maintained nursery, primary and special schools in Gwent. The corresponding figures for Clwyd were 64 per cent. and 99.5 per cent.

Mr. Flynn

Do not those splendid figures prove the effectiveness of local authorities in Wales—almost all of which are Labour-controlled—and support the conclusions of the Welsh Affairs Committee? Even Conservative Members on that Committee agreed that, in respect of Wales alone, nursery vouchers would not be an effective way to improve education. Given the marvellous education provision in Wales, nursery vouchers will be damaging to the system, and wasteful. Does not that prove again the need for a Welsh Assembly and for decisions about Wales to be made in Wales?

Mr. Richards

Welsh local authorities have an excellent record on nursery education provision, but if the hon. Gentleman has read the Welsh Affairs Committee report, he obviously has not understood it. The report states clearly that the Government's policy on nursery education is to ensure that parents have a choice of provision; they do not have choice in Wales.