§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the ratio of places in day nurseries to children under the age of four years in each of the local authorities in the northwest of England;
(2) what steps she is taking to improve the ratio of day nursery places to children under the age of four years in the five areas of the North-west of England with the worst ratios.
§ Dr. Owen,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 17th April 1975; Vol. 890, c. 166–7], circulated the following information:
At 31st March 1974, the most recent date for which figures are available, the ratios relating to the under-five age group for whom day nurseries are provided were as follows:
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Authority Places in Local Authority day nurseries per 1,000 population under 5 Permitted number of children in registered premises per 1,000 population under 5 Places in Local Authority day nurseries and permitted number of children per 1,000 population under 5 Barrow-in-Furness … 9.6 5.8 15.4 Birkenhead … 5.0 6.8 11.8 Blackburn … … 25.2 — 25.2 Blackpool … … 6.0 15.7 21.7 Bolton … … 15.8 4.9 20.7 Bootle … … 9.6 — 9.6 Burnley … … 6.7 — 6.7 Bury … … 6.2 — 6.2 Carlisle … … 9.6 7.3 16.9 Chester … … — 6.3 6.3 Liverpool … … 18.4 16.1 34.3 Manchester … 28.8 13.0 41.8 Oldham … … 6.0 8.0 13.9 Preston … … 20.4 4.3 24.7 Rochdale … … 6.3 15.0 21.3 St. Helens … … 7.5 — 7.5 Salford … … 9.4 8.2 17.6 Southport … … 19.2 24.8 44.0 Stockport … … 8.1 — 8.1 Wallasey … … 19.1 — 19.1 Warrington … 10.6 — 10.6 Wigan … … 8.9 12.3 21.2 The financial resources available to local authorities do not allow as rapid a development of their social services provision, including that of day nursery places, as they would wish. I imagine that those authorities with low ratios will, in common with other authorities, take account of the claims of day nursery projects in determining their capital priorities, as I shall in giving approval for loan sanction purposes.