§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which local education authorities in England and Wales have no nursery classes.
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§ Mr. van StraubenzeeIn January, 1970, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 13 local education authorities in England with neither maintained nursery schools nor nursery classes. The authorities were Dorset, Isles of Scilly, Isle of Wight, Lincs (Holland), Rutland, Birkenhead, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Carlisle, Eastbourne, Gloucester, Hastings and Solihull. I am informed by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales that Anglesey and Radnorshire were also in this category. A number of authorities, including these 15, admit some children to the lower classes of their primary schools at the beginning of the year in which they become five.