§ Mr. Denis MurphyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many free nursery places have been created for three and four-year-olds in Wansbeck since 1997. [153144]
§ Ms HodgeAs figures are not held for each individual constituency, the information provided relates to Northumberland local education authority area.
Since September 1998, all four-year-olds in Northumberland have been able to access a free, part-time, early education place. By March 2004, we expect all three-year-olds in Northumberland will have this entitlement.
The following table shows how many free early education places have been made available for three and four-year-olds since 1997 in Northumberland.
Year Number of places available Percentage of children 1997–98 5,,902 83 1998–99 5,833 83 1999–2000 5,000 81 2000–01 5,713 83 In 2001–02 Northumberland will receive additional funding of £702,108 to provide place: for 591 three-year-olds. This is in addition to the places that the authority will make available through their own resources (including Standard Spending Assessment).
The figures include those funded through the nursery education grant and the LEAs own resources (including Standard Spending Assessment).The drop in the number of places since 1997–98 is due to demographic changes in the number of three and four-year-olds.
In addition to early education places, since April 1999, 1,072 new child care places have been created in the Northumberland area.