HC Deb 26 February 1973 vol 851 c248W
Mr. Gower

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many children below the age of normal school attendance are now receiving full-time and part-time nursery education in Wales and in Glamorgan, respectively; and what increase in these numbers is likely during the next five years.

Mr. Peter Thomas

In January 1972 the latest date for which information is available, the following number of children under statutory school age were attending maintained schools:

Glamorgan
Full-time Part-time
Nursery schools 424 214
Nursery classes 3,647 148
Other primary school classes 5,910 25
Wales
Nursery schools 1,207 1,919
Nursery classes 5,889 1,219
Other primary school classes 23,334 116

Projects included in the urban aid programmes will add a further 3,430 full-time equivalent nursery places in Wales by 1975.

In addition the nursery programme announced last December includes£1.8 million for 1974–76 and this will provide over 4,000 additional full-time equivalent places in Wales.

By 1978 I expect about 20,000 full-time nursery places to be available in Wales.