HC Deb 26 January 1996 vol 270 cc440-1W
Mr. Chisholm

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to make the implementation statement on the nursery vouchers scheme, foreseen in the consultation paper issued on 15 August. [11548]

Mr. Raymond S. Robertson

I made it on 11 December 1995.

Mr. Chisholm

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the impact of the proposed nursery voucher scheme on nursery provision for three-year-olds. [11552]

Mr. Robertson

The nursery voucher initiative is not intended to have any impact on nursery provision for three-year-olds. I shall, however, keep this issue under review in course of the pilot year.

Mr. Chisholm

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many extra nursery places he expects the nursery voucher scheme to create in its first year. [11553]

Mr. Robertson

The scheme will be driven by parental choice and parental demand.

Mr. Chisholm

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of how children with special needs will be affected by the nursery voucher scheme. [11554]

Mr. Robertson

The powers and duties of local authorities to make provision for children with special educational needs will not be affected by the Government's nursery education initiative.

Mr. Chisholm

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received concerning the proposed nursery voucher scheme; and how many of those representations were(a) in support of and (b) opposed to the scheme. [11555]

Mr. Robertson

In response to the formal consultation launched in August, my Department received over 170 replies.

Without exception, consultees welcomed the Government's commitment to extend education for children in the pre-school year, but there was concern about the implications of the voucher initiative. These concerns will be addressed in the pilot year.

Mr. Chisholm

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the planned cost of the nursery voucher pilot project. [11558]

Mr. Robertson

Some £3 million of new money is being made available in 1996–97 for the pilot phase. There will, in addition, be funding which was hitherto part of participating authorities' nursery education provision.

Mr. Chisholm

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money he plans to withhold from local authority settlements in consideration of the nursery voucher scheme; and by what mechanisms. [11560]

Mr. Robertson

In the 1996–97 pilot year, each participating local authority will be asked to agree to pay to the Scottish Office, or have deducted from grant, a sum equal to the voucher value multiplied by the base number of places provided by that authority and filled in the previous year. The mechanism for future years will be discussed with authorities.

Mr. Chisholm

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has nursery vouchers. [11562]

Mr. Robertson

A range to guard against dishonesty cannot be made public.