§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many places were available in day nurseries in England and Wales in 1984 and in each year since 1979;
(2) what information he has as to which local authorities have reduced the number of places in day nurseries since 1979; and what has been the percentage reduction in each case.
England—Provision of Day Nurseries for Children under Five Number of Places As at 31 March Local authority day nurseries Registered day nurseries Other day nurseries Total 1979 28,313 22,381 * * 1980 28,437 22,017 * * 1981 28,252 22,031 * * 1982 †28,383 21,131 775 51,049 1983 28,630 21,889 736 51,255 1984 28,872 23,124 805 52,801 *Data not available. †Revised.
Local authorities whose level of provision in local authority day nurseries has decreased between 1979 and 1984 Number of places Local authority 1979 1984 Percentage decrease Cleveland 400 250 37 Durham 150 125 17 South Tyneside 200 152 24 Humberside 55 50 9 Calderdale 138 85 38 Wakefield 90 24 73 Cheshire 510 490 4 Bolton 240 188 22 Oldham 233 203 13 Trafford 408 240 41 Knowsley 400 350 13 Wirral 220 210 5 Shropshire 4 0 100 Coventry 534 394 26 Walsall 150 120 20 Nottinghamshire 640 585 9 Berkshire 132 124 6 Hertfordshire 417 335 20 Oxfordshire 95 90 5 Suffolk 63 55 13 Wandsworth 746 623 16 Westminster 525 469 11 Barking 145 130 10 Bexley 50 45 10 Ealing 359 342 5 Harrow 118 110 7 Havering 190 170 11 Merton 139 119 14
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 Suspensions from the Medical Register (a) 5 10 10 9 16 Erasures from the Medical Register (1) 4 4 4 11 11 Restoration to the Medical Register (1) 1 3 — 1 3 Doctors in NHS practice (2) 73,750 75,150 76,410 77,725 * * Not available. Notes:
1. Source: GMC.
2. Source: DHSS—(GB figures excluding Northern Ireland).
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§ Mr. WhitneyInformation on the provision of day nursery places in England is given in the table together with a list of those authorities whose level of provision has decreased between 1979 and 1984. Further details are given in the Department's booklets "Children's Day Care Facilities (at 31 March)" copies of which are available in the Library. Figures for Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Number of places Local authority 1979 1984 Percentage decrease Newham 274 250 9 Redbridge 100 70 30 Richmond upon Thames 141 125 11 Hampshire 357 315 12 Kent 35 15 57 Surrey 214 205 4 East Sussex 196 108 45 Devon 79 18 77 Gloucestershire 75 32 57