HC Deb 24 July 1996 vol 282 cc435-6W
20. Mr. Whittingdale

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of the take-up of nursery vouchers in the designated pilot areas. [37287]

Mr. Robin Squire

Applications for nursery education vouchers have been made in respect of 91 per cent. of the estimated number of eligible four-year-olds in the four areas in the first phase of the scheme.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 16 July,Official Report, column 736, what research has been commissioned to evaluate the operation of the nursery voucher scheme, by organisations other than her Department, including voluntary organisations and non-governmental agencies; and in each case, what was (a) the objective of the research project, (b) the cost, (c) the time frame and (d) the expected date of the publication of the findings. [38851]

Mr. Squire

I understand that the Audit Commission, the National Children's Bureau, the Pre-school Learning Alliance and the Day Care Trust have plans to evaluate or have already evaluated aspects of the nursery education voucher scheme. Detailed information on their studies is a matter for these bodies.

The scheme comes within the ambit of the Department's internal audit division and will be reviewed by them, working with the National Audit Office, in the usual way.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the total costs of the nursery voucher initiative to her Department, separately identifying(a) staffing costs and (b) consultancy and outside agency fees (i) to date and (ii) projected up to 31 March 1997. [38852]

Mr. Squire

The estimated cost of the nursery voucher scheme from April 1995 is £26,950,000 to 31 March 1997. Of this, payments in respect of vouchers account for by far the largest proportion; departmental staffing costs are estimated at £340,000 to date, and £950,000 to March 1997. Figures exclude consultancy and outside agency fees which remain commercially confidential.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimates she has made of the capital programme required for each of the education authorities operating the pre-school voucher scheme for the year 1997–98 that will enable them to provide sufficient accommodation for pupils eligible to receive pre-school education and not able to attend additional settings provided by the voluntary sector. [39684]

Mr. Squire

I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of my reply in the Library.