Child Care (Hansard, 26 June 1997)

§ 9. Angela Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans his Department has to ensure co-ordination between early-years education and child care. [4098]

§ Mr. Blunkett
With other Ministers, the Department has asked local authorities to draw together early-years forums to establish interim early-years development plans and to have programmes in place by next April for the co-ordination of nursery education and child care. That builds on our commitment to early excellence centres, ensuring that from the time a child is born, developmental skills, including the learning process, are encouraged as much as possible. I am delighted that more than 80 local authorities have already responded, showing their commitment and enthusiasm for early-years development plans. I am sorry that my hon. Friend's county council-Essex—is not one of them.

§ Angela Smith
I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. Is he aware that, after years of neglect, when Essex county council was under Conservative control, and despite the attempts of the new Liberal Democrat-Labour administration, we still have one of the lowest levels of nursery education and pre-school provision in the country? Will he encourage Essex county 977 council to take those comments on board and to work with the providers of pre-school education in my constituency, who are keen for our policies to be put into practice?

§ Mr. Blunkett
I certainly shall. During its four years in office, the Liberal Democrat-Labour coalition began the process of trying to reverse the worst record in Britain, with only three nursery education providers operating in the state sector under the previous Tory regime. That was a scandalous record.
It will take us a little time to ensure that coverage is available across the country, but we have made clear our commitment to ending the voucher scheme from the end of this term and to providing free places for all four-year-olds. Working with the voluntary sector and others who are committed to providing places, we shall ensure that that essential pledge is carried out in the next 12 months.

§ Mrs. May
Is the Secretary of State aware of the considerable anxiety that has been caused among providers of pre-school education and parents by his decision to abolish the nursery voucher scheme before putting proper alternative arrangements in place? Will he clarify the criteria under which local authorities will be able to reduce the amount that is reimbursed to providers in the voluntary and private sectors—a move that many fear will lead only to a reduction in the provision of pre-school education?

§ Mr. Blunkett
I have no evidence of that and I have received no letters from the hon. Lady's constituents in Maidenhead saying that they feel threatened. We have made it clear that existing places that are carried forward into the autumn term will be honoured. We have set in place mechanisms to ensure that, where there is doubt, a certificate will be issued to that effect. There is no threat to anyone currently providing a place. They will not receive less for that place than they received from the public purse under the voucher scheme. We have encouraged local authorities of all persuasions to work with providers so that there is a collaborative, joint approach rather than the competitive market that closed private and voluntary providers in the pilot scheme areas and, after 1 April, in other areas when the voucher scheme came into operation.