§ Mr. MacGregorasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will indicate the precise prospects for the nursery school building programme in the period ahead; which schemes will still be allowed to continue; and if he will give guidance on this subject to individual 140W what is the estimated ratio of places to children of nursery school age by metropolitan district, in the last available year.
§ Miss Joan LestorIt is assumed that the number of children of nursery school age in any given new local education authority area may be taken to be about one-half of the 1–4 age group. The following table shows for January 1974 the number of pupils in maintained nursery schools and in nursery classes of maintained primary schools and the full-time equivalent number of these as a percentage of the number of children of nursery school age within Greater Manchester by metropolitan district;
local authorities concerned with these programmes.
§ Mr. MulleyLocal education authorities are aware of their nursery education building allocations for the current year. A circular to be issued this week by my Department will state the value of starts to be authorised for England and Wales for 1976–77. Authorities will subsequently be informed of their individual allocations for that year.