§ 12. Siobhain McDonaghTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the progress he is making towards providing free nursery education for three and four-year-olds. [143470]
§ Ms HodgeAll four-year-olds have been able to access a free early education place since 1998. By 2004 we will provide a free place for every three-year-old.
This is the first Government ever to have specifically funded free nursery education for three-year-olds. By 2004 we will have doubled our spending on nursery education from £1 billion to £2 billion.