HC Deb 18 November 1971 vol 826 cc175-6W
37. Mr. Golding

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will now introduce legislation to amend the Education Act, 1944, to enable pre-school playgroups to receive financial support from her Department.

Mrs. Thatcher

No. Assistance to local voluntary bodies is a matter for local authorities who can and do assist playgroups under a variety of powers. My Department makes grants in respect of their headquarter expenses to two national organisations concerned with playgroups.

Mr. Dormand

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated number of pre-school playgroups in England and the estimated number of children attending them; and if she will now consider making direct Exchequer grants to the playgroups.

Mrs. Thatcher

Responsibility for the registration and inspection of pre-school playgroups rests with local authority social services departments and with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. Assistance to local voluntary bodies is a matter for local authorities. I do not contemplate giving direct grants to individual playgroups.

Mr. Dormand

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total amount of grant for each of the last six years paid by local authorities to pre-school playgroups and the grants made for the same period from the Department of Education and Science to the Pre-School Playgroups Association; and if she will make a statement on future policy of her Department towards preschool playgroups.

Mrs. Thatcher

Information of the total amount of grant paid to playgroups by local authorities is not available, but local authority grants to the value of about £250,000 have been approved under the Urban Programme. My Department has made grants towards the headquarters expenses of the Pre-School Playgroups Association since 1966. The amounts paid in each of the last five financial years are as follows:

£
1966–67 200
1967–68 3,000
1969–69 3,000
1970–70 1,000
1971–71 3,500

A grant of up to £7,000 has been authorised for 1971–72.

In consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services I am considering what further contribution playgroups could make to the needs of the under-fives.