§ Mr. MacArthurasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the provision of nursery schools in Scotland.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellThe White Paper, "Education in Scotland: a Statement of Policy", which I laid before the House on 5th December, announced a nursery expansion programme which aims 97W to provide by 1982–83 sufficient places to meet the expected demand from parents who wish their children to attend nursery schools or classes from the beginning of the school year after the age of three. As a first step, I intend to authorise education authorities to start nursery education projects to the value of £4.5 million in each of the three financial years 1974–77: the programme will continue thereafter. My Department will shortly issue a circular of guidance to education authorities about the expansion of nursery education and will inform each authority of its allocation of capital investment.