§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which local authorities in the United Kingdom (a) ended nursery education or (b) increased charges for nursery education in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1980.
§ Dr. BoysonNone. No local authority ceased to make provision for nursery education in 1979 or 1980. Indeed, the number of pupils receiving nursery education increased by 5,600 in 1979–80 compared with the year before. The charging of fees for education in maintained schools is prohibited by section 61 of the Education Act 1944 and therefore no charges can be made by authorities for nursery education.