HC Deb 04 February 1975 vol 885 cc447-8W
36. Mr. Gould

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will issue a circular to local authorities discouraging them from proposing any cuts in their nursery school programmes.

Mr. Armstrong

No. My right hon. Friend has already made it clear that he is determined to maintain the impetus of the programme and looks to authorities to play their part. I regret the fact that a small number of authorities have nevertheless not felt able to take up their nursery building allocations for 1974–75 in full. The resources so released have been reallocation to other authorities wishing to use them for nursery education building projects. My Department wrote to all local education authorities on 31st January asking them whether they intend to take up their nursery building allocations for 1975–76 in full. I very much hope that they will do so. Any resources released will be made available to other authorities able and willing to use them for nursery education building projects.

37. Mr. Jessel

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress he can report in the provisioin of nursery education.

Mr. Armstrong

The special building programme for the expansion of nursery education began in July 1974. Resources allocated to local authorities in England for nursery building amount to £21.5 million for 1974–75 and to £17.2 million for 1975–76.

49. Mr. R. C. Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will have consultations with Hampshire Education Authority regarding its plans to provide nursery school accommodation in Hampshire; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Armstrong

My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet the authority at present. Hampshire has a nursery building allocation of £552,500 for 1974–75. It is for local education authorities to decide which individual projects should be started within their allocations.

53. Mr. James Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many nursery schools there are in Humberside County and Kingston-upon-Hull, respectively, for children under 5 years of age; and how many there are for mentally handicapped children.

Mr. Armstrong

There are eight nursery schools in the county of Humberside, including three nursery schools in the Kingston upon Hull District Council area. In addition there are 35 nursery classes at primary schools of which 18 are in Kingston upon Hull.

There are five special schools in Humberside which admit mentally handicapped children under the age of 5, of which one is in Kingston upon Hull.