§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing nursery education for all three and four-year-olds; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Robin SquireThe cost would depend on the types of provision, the balance between full-time and part-time attendance and the numbers of parents who choose to take up a nursery place. We estimate that the average annual recurrent unit cost for a full-time equivalent pupil aged under five in the maintained sector is £1,770 at 1993–4 prices. In addition, there would be capital, transport and staff training costs. As at January 1993, 55 per cent. of children aged three and four in England were already in receipt of some form of maintained or independent schooling.