HC Deb 27 July 1983 vol 46 cc474-5W
Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his Department has on the number of children on waiting lists for nursery education in Scotland.

Mr. Allan Stewart

None.

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage of children aged three and four years receiving nursery education in each region and island authority in Scotland.

Mr. Allan Stewart

The following table shows the percentage of three-year-olds and four-year-olds, and of these two age groups combined, who were attending education authority nursery schools at September 1982.

Authority Percentage of three-year-olds Percentage of four-year-olds Percentage of three and four-year-olds
Borders 7 29 18
Central 19 40 29
Dumfries and Galloway 3 14 8
Fife 16 68 41
Grampian 11 27 19
Highland 5 18 11
Lothian 35 53 43
Orkney 12 20 17
Shetland 9 15 12
Strathclyde 19 37 28
Tayside 19 29 24
Western Isles 13 46 20
Scotland 19 38 28

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many three and four-year-olds are receiving nursery education in each of the four Scottish cities; what these figures are expressed as a percentage of each age group; and how they compare with the Scottish average.

Mr. Allan Stewart

At September 1982 there were 3,280 three-year-olds and 4,659 four-year-olds attending education authority nursery schools in Glasgow. Figures for the other Scottish cities are not readily available.

The following table shows, for Glasgow and Scotland, the percentages of three-year-olds and four-year-olds attending, and the percentages for the two age groups combined:

Glasgow Scotland
Percentage of three-year-olds 39 19
Percentage of four-year-olds 60 38
Percentage of three and four-year-olds 49 28

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many placing requests were made by parents relating to nursery schools in the latest available year; how many were successful; and if he will provide a breakdown per education authority.

Mr. Allan Stewart

Information gathered by my Department on school placing requests is related solely to primary and secondary education.