§ 24. Mr. OlnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the new resources announced for the sure start programme in the comprehensive spending review. [132612]
§ Yvette CooperI have been asked to reply. As announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 18 July, in the Spending Review Command Paper 4807, Sure Start has new resources of £449 million for 2002–03 and £499 million for 2003–04. These, added to the provision before the spending review of £448 million for the years 1999–2000 to 2001–02, bring the total resources for Sure Start to £1,396 million over the five-year period. As a result, the 250 programmes will be increased to around 500 programmes, and these will reach one third of children in poverty by 2003–04.