§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) free nursery and (b) pre-school places were available for (i) three and (ii) four year olds in Chorley in each of the last seven years. [161596]
§ Margaret HodgeThe information is not available in the form requested.
Figures on the number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four year olds in Lancashire local education authority area are shown in the table.
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Number of free nursery education places1 2 taken up by three and four year old children in maintained nursery and primary schools and private, voluntary and independent providers Lancashire Local Education Authority area1997–2003 Position in January each year year 3 year olds 4 year olds 1997 4,400 13,500 1999 4,400 16,000 2000 4,300 15,900 2001 9,400 15,700 2002 9,400 13,000 2003 10,100 12,600 1 Part-time equivalent number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four year old children. 2 A free nursery education place comprises five two and a half hour sessions of early years education per week, for thirty-three weeks of the year, usually three terms of eleven weeks. The latest figures on provision for three and four year olds in England were published in a Statistical Bulletin `Provision for children under five years of age in England—January which is available on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.
Since 1 April 2004, six months ahead of our original target, all three year olds in England whose parents want one, will have access to a free, part-time early education place.