§ Mr. Youngerasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to his answer of 20 July 1978, Official Report, column 410, he will publish the latest figures for the number of children receiving nursery education in Scotland.
§ Mr. McElhoneI am sending the hon. Member a copy of a statistical bulletin on nursery education published earlier this week which provides further information 473W about the number of children receiving nursery education in education authority schools in Scotland at September 1977. This shows that between 1972 and 1977 the numbers of such children more than doubled, the numbers of nursery schools increased by 80 per cent. and the staff by almost 90 per cent. Comparable figures for September 1978 are not yet available.