§ 21. Mr. Clemitsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what bids have been received from the Bedfordshire county council since 1977 for assistance in building nursery schools.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonUnder my Department's nursery education building programme the Bedfordshire county council made a bid for £110,000 in 1977–78. They made no bid in 1978–79, and for 1979–80, they have made a bid for £9,050.
Under the urban aid programme which has invited applications for nursery projects for the past two years, the council has not made a bid for resources to cover capital costs. They have, however, applied for a total of £134,800 under the 1979–80 programme to cover staff salaries and other expenses at two nursery schools.
§ 29. Mr. Terry Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she is satisfied with the rate of provision of nursery school places in the county of Avon.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonNo. The Avon authority has not taken up an allocation under the Department's nursery education programme since it began in 1974–75 and has made no bid for the past three years. It applied unsuccessfully for urban aid in 1978–79 and has again applied in respect of five nursery education projects for 1979–80.
§ 27. Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the provision of capital funds for Nursery classes by her Department and the levels of take-up by local education authorities.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonIn the four years 1974–75 to 1977–78 we made avail- 111W able some £51 million of loan sanction under the nursery education building programme. Of this, £42 million was taken up by local education authorities
In 1978–79 the programme is £4.4 million. It is expected that this will be taken up in full. A further £14.3 million is planned for the three years from 1979–80.
§ 51. Mr. Hicksasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations have taken place between her Department and the Cornwall county education committee with a view to increasing the provision of nursery school places in the county; and if she will make a statement.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonNo specific consultations have taken place. All local education authorities are regularly encouraged to expand their nursery provision both through my Department's annual nursery education building programme and through the urban aid programme. It is, however, a matter for each authority to decide whether to take advantage of these programmes.