§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the value of and the contribution his Department makes to promote(a) nursery education and (b) pre-school play groups.
§ Mr. Robin SquireGood nursery education and playgroup provision both contribute to the Government's policy of promoting choice, diversity, quality and cost-effectiveness of pre-school provision in the public and private sectors. One half of three and four-year-olds attend maintained nursery and primary schools, and two fifths attend playgroups. In addition to the funding by local education authorities of pre-school provision, my Department makes grants to a number of national bodies concerned with developing such provision, including the Pre-School Playgroups Association, the British Association for Early Childhood Education, and the National Children's Bureau.