HC Deb 05 February 1980 vol 978 cc137-9W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he plans to change those sections of the Education Act 1944 which place a duty on local education authorities to make provision for nursery education.

Dr. Boyson

Yes. My right hon. and learned Friend is proposing to table amendments to the Education (No. 2) Bill for discussion by the House on consideration of the Bill as reported by Standing Committee D.

sioning of the vessel and the cost of such refits in constant 1978 prices.

Mr. Speed

The following table gives costs of refitting and repairing HMY "Britannia" at January 1980 prices.

The figures are not adjusted for improvements in accounting techniques over the years, so the figures for later years include, for example, costs of stores overheads, additional depreciation, and interest on capital.

21. Mr. Flannery

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if any decision has yet been taken to charge for nursery education.

Mr. Mark Carlisle

No.

44. Mr. Race

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what policy his Department will follow in determining the expansion of nursery education.

Dr. Boyson

It remains our longer-term objective that nursery education should be available to all who want it. As long as the main thrust of our economic policy requires the containment of public expenditure, we cannot expect rapid progress towards that target. The recent White Paper on Government expenditure plans 1980–81 envisaged expenditure on nursery education being held at broadly the current level and information obtained from local education authorities indicates that this is likely to be the pattern in the majority of areas.

45. Mr. Sheerman

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the correspondence between his Department and Kirklees local education authority about provision of nursery education in the area.

Dr. Boyson

The only correspondence on nursery education has been the standard letter sent to all local education authorities inviting bids on the 1980–81 building programme. Kirklees has asked for £10,000: allocations will be announced soon.

Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the revenue likely to be raised if charges were introduced for nursery education; and if he will make a statement.

Dr. Boyson

My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to introduce charges for nursery education. To arrive at an estimate of what revenue charges might produce it is necessary to make certain assumptions.

Assuming a charge of about £3 per week for a child attending a nursery school or class part-time for an academic year of 40 weeks, and allowing for the charge to be waived or reduced for low income families, I estimate that the income from charges for nursery education might be in the region of £10 million in a full year.