HC Deb 03 July 1973 vol 859 cc101-2W
Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will state the amount of money made available under the Social Needs Act and other legislation to assist in providing playgroups in needy areas; and what proposals he has to extend this help to cover the grey areas not adequately provided for, having regard to the fact that 80 per cent. of the under-fives in Northern Ireland have neither nursery schools nor playgroups to attend.

Mr. Peter Mills

£100,000 per annum is at present provided by the Ministry of Community Relations under the Social Need (Grants) Act (Northern Ireland) 1970 towards the running costs of some 40 pre-school playgroup projects in deprived areas of Belfast and Londonderry. £50,000 per annum is spent on playgroups by welfare authorities under the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968, who co-ordinate their help with that given by the Ministry of Community Relations. A further £100,000 per annum is being made available to aid the setting up of playgroups in Belfast, Londonderry and other towns.

Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make additional finance available to provide pre-school playgroups, in particular to appoint advisers who would meet groups of interested mothers, and train them to set up their own playgroups, and to enable the Northern Ireland Pre-School Playgroups Association to assist in the expansion of such schemes, as is done in England, Scotland and Wales.

Mr. Peter Mills

Under a programme of expansion, a further £100,000 a year in grant in aid is being made available.

Following the reorganisation of the personal social services with effect from 1st October 1973 the existing advisory services will be extended under the aegis of the area boards which will make them generally available throughout their 17 districts. Groups of interested mothers will be able to make use of these services.

The situation is not analogous with England, Scotland and Wales where the scale of operations is larger.