HC Deb 18 July 1995 vol 263 cc1198-9W
Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many three and four-year-olds had a place in a pre-school play group in each local education authority in(a) 1980, (b) 1990 and (c) the last date for which figures are available; what was the percentage of the age group in each year; and what was the average number of sessions attended by a child in each year. [35407]

Mr. Richards

The number of places provided in pre-school playgroups at 31 March each year is shown in the table. Information is not collected centrally on the number of children who attend or on the number of sessions attended.

Places in playgroups at 31 March
1980 1990 1994
Clwyd 3,802 4,394 5,140
Dyfed 2,443 3,371 3,089
Gwent 2,277 2,843 3,193
Gwynedd 2,418 3,107 3,348
Mid Glamorgan 2,163 3,517 3,928
Powys 1,067 1,491 1,513
South Glamorgan 2,695 3,502 4,093
West Glamorgan 888 1,247 1,318
Wales 17,753 23,472 25,622

Note:

Places in playgroups provided by a local authority, registered private playgroups and in playgroups exempt from registration, e.g. those on Crown property, are included.

Mr. Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much funding he provides for pre-school playgroups in Wales; how this is shared between recipient organisations; and what is the average amount per child attending playgroups run by recipients of Welsh Office funding. [35396]

Mr. Richards

Wales Pre-School Playgroups Associations and Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin have been awarded departmental grants in 1995–96 of £164,400 and £152,872 respectively towards their core administrative costs. Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin has also been awarded a grant of £537,000 in 1995–96 under the scheme of support for the Welsh language. Local playgroups are not funded directly by the Department. Therefore, there are no figures on average departmental funding per child.

Mr. Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much each local authority provides for funding to the Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association and Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin; and what is the average amount of funding for each place the respective organisations provide. [35402]

Mr. Richards

This information is not held centrally.