HC Deb 20 July 2004 vol 424 c143W
Mr. Ivan Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to support disadvantaged children and families who do not live in wards covered by the Sure Start programme. [184996]

Margaret Hodge

Children's centres are the focus of the Government's plans to expand high quality integrated service provision to young children and families. By 2008 we will have developed up to 2,500 children's centres. In areas not currently covered by Sure Start programmes, centres will develop from a wide range of settings in the maintained, private and voluntary sectors. In the long term the Government aim to develop a children's centre in every community.