§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the number of(a) three-year-old and (b) four-year-old children currently receiving nursery education in Wales; what is his estimate of the change in the number of three and four-year-olds who would receive nursery education under the nursery voucher scheme; and what evidence this estimate is based on. [39096]
§ Mr. HagueAt January 1995, an estimated 19,625 three-year-olds and 35,031 four-year-olds were in maintained and independent schools1. The voucher scheme will enable the parents of all four-year-olds to seek nursery education for their children for a full three terms in the setting of their choice, which is not always available under current arrangements. Take-up will depend on parental choice and the availability of places. The voucher scheme need not affect provision for three-year-olds, which remains at the discretion of local education authorities.
1Statistics of Education and Training in Wales: Schools No. 4 1996; Table 2.2.