HC Deb 19 April 1988 vol 131 cc391-3W
34. Mr. David Porter

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his policy for nursery and pre-five school education, in the light of the report by Professor Peter Mortimore, "School Matters", a copy of which has been sent to him.

Mr. Dunn

My right hon. Friend has so far seen only press accounts of this report, which indicate that it did not include any study of under-fives education. But my hon. Friend no doubt has in mind the broad conclusion reflected in its title. The Government accept that children can benefit from pre-school experience but believe they are being realistic in their policy of maintaining both the current discretionary arrangements and level funding of this sector in real terms.

47. Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to increase the level of nursery education; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Dunn

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for City of Durham (Mr. Steinberg) on 19 January at column805.

48. Mr. Sedgemore

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received urging him to take steps to ensure that the provision of nursery education in inner London is maintained following abolition of the Inner London education authority.

Mr. Dunn

My right hon. Friend has received about 60 representations on this matter.

Mr. David Porter

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the average cost per pupil of local authority nursery education in(a) East Anglia, (b) Suffolk and (c) England and Wales;

(2) what is the proportion of local authority education budgets spent on nursery education in (a) East Anglia, (b) Suffolk and (c) England and Wales.

Mr. Dunn

Local education authorities do not provide separate figures for expenditure on nursery classes in primary schools. The following table shows the net institutional recurrent expenditure per pupil in nursery schools for 1986–87 and the proportion of the authorities' net recurrent expenditure on education that was spent on nursery schools.

Expenditure per nursery school pupil £ cash Proportion of total expenditure Per cent.
East Anglia1 1,340 0.2
Suffolk 1,165 0.1
England 1,500 0.4
1 Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Information relating to Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

Mr. Porter

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the proportion of children in the three to five year age group receiving private nursery education in(a) East Anglia, (b) Suffolk, (c) Waveney and (d) England and Wales;

(2) what is the number of children attending private nursery schools in (a) East Anglia, (b) Suffolk, (c) Waveney and (d) England and Wales.

Mr. Dunn

This information is not collected centrally. Figures for Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

Mr. David Porter

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the proportion of children in the three to five year age group receiving local authority nursery education in(a) East Anglia, (b) Suffolk, (c) Waveney and (d) England and Wales.

Mr. Dunn

Information for areas within local education authorities is not available centrally. In January 1987 the number of children aged under five as a proportion of the estimated three and four population receiving local authority nursery education in East Anglia, Suffolk and England was 10, 14 and 23 per cent., respectively.

Figures for Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

Mr. David Porter

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, what is the number of children in local authority nursery schools in(a) East Anglia, (b) Suffolk, (c) Waveney and (d) England and Wales.

Mr. Dunn

Information for areas within local education authorities is not available centrally. In January 1987 the number of children under five attending maintained nursery schools in East Anglia, Suffolk and England was 1,199, 162 and 49,502, respectively.

Figures for Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.