HC Deb 07 March 1984 vol 55 cc619-20W
Mr. Wigley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table indicating the payments made by his Department to encourage activities for the under-fives in England and Wales.

Mr. Newton

The Department grant-aids a number of voluntary bodies in England whose work relates to families with children of all ages. In these cases it is not possible to distinguish what proportion of the Department's support is attributable to work specifically with under-fives. Voluntary organisations whose activities relate wholly or mainly to families with children under five and who currently receive grant-aid from the Department are as follows together with the grant payments made for 1983–84.

£
Home-Start Consultancy 19,000
National Childminding Association 92,850
Pre-School Playgroups Association 383,000
Toy Libraries Association 41,000
Voluntary Organisations' Liaison Council for Under Fives 16,460
552,310

In addition, the under-fives initiative in England launched by my right hon. Friend in October 1983 has a budget of £6 million for voluntary projects spread over the financial years 1983–84 to 1986–87. Expenditure this financial year is expected to approach £725,000.

As regards Wales, I understand that grants by the Welsh Office in 1983–84 to voluntary organisations whose work is directed specifically towards families with under-fives in that country amount to £93,874 to the Pre-school Playgroups Association and £292,000 to Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin.