§ Lord Bleaseasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will indicate their current policy for nursery school education in Northern Ireland, and explain the apparent contradiction between, on the one hand, the statement by Dr. Brian Mawhinney, MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (NI), on 7th March 1986 at the Irish National Teachers' Organisation Conference in Newcastle, that, "percentage increase in primary sector—including nursery—in all grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland has been substantial in real terms—well over 10 per cent."—and, on the other, the proposed closures by the Belfast Education and Library Board of school nursery units at Stranmillis; Rosetta; Dundela; Orangefield; and Brefne (Antrim Road), for which there are no replacements and considerable numbers of children on the current waiting lists with further potential application for places.
§ Lord LyellThe Government's current policy is that nursery education should be provided in Northern Ireland for all 3 and 4 year-old children whose parents wish them to have it. However in a period when only limited resources have been available for capital expenditure it has been necessary to devote those resources to the needs of children of compulsory school age and little progress has been made in providing additional accommodation for nursery education. I understand that the Belfast Education and Library Board has been considering closing a nursery school and nursery units at five primary schools but no proposals for such closures have as yet been received by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland.