§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many additional childcare places he expects to become available under the Government's £300 million initiative in(a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01. [22367]
§ Mr. Alan HowarthIt is too early to give detailed information of this kind. The £300 million is made up of £30 million from the receipts of the Windfall Tax in 1998–99, £50 million under the Out of School Childcare initiative over five years from 1998–99, £220 million from the New Opportunities Fund over three years from 1999–2003. We expect that most of the funding will be allocated in response to bids and plans which originate at local level. The intention is that there should be a project in every community which needs it, providing places for up to a million children in total.