§ Mr. Bishopasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to provide extra facilities for nursery schools for the children of widowed or divorced mothers; and if she will take steps to provide free or special low-cost facilities in order to alleviate child poverty among these categories.
§ Mrs. ThatcherNo fees are charged in nursery schools maintained by local education authorities. Day nurseries provided by local health authorities and which are the concern of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Social Services provide day care for children under 5 who have a special health or welfare need and those whose mothers are obliged to go out to work because they are unsupported come within this category. Fees are charged in day nurseries but they take account of individual means, and only about one-sixth of the cost of the day nursery service is recovered by way of charges. The provision of additional nursery schools and day nurseries in areas of special social need forms part of the urban programme.