§ Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many places have been provided for nursery schools during each of the past five years: what has been the cost in each year; and if he will make a statement about the present and future programme.
§ Dr. BoysonInformation is not available in precisely the form requested by the hon. Member. The tables following show the resources made available under my Department's nursery education building programme; and the net increase in the number of places and pupils in nursery schools and nursery classes in primary schools in England, for each of the past five years:
NURSERY EDUCATION BUILDING PROGRAMME Financial Year Expenditure (£m) 1974–75 21.5 1975–76 17.2 1976–77 9.3 1977–78 2.7 1978–79 4.4
NET INCREASE IN PLACES AND PUPILS IN NURSERY SCHOOLS AND NURSERY CLASSES IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS (ENGLAND) NURSERY SCHOOLS NURSERY CLASSES Financtal Year Places Places 1974–75 1,058 7,633 1975–76 936 10,354 1976–77 1,030 12,997 1977–78 (provisional) 498 7,279 1978–79 Not yet known Not yet known With regard to the present and future programme, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Dubs) on 23 October.