Nursery Voucher Scheme (Hansard, 5 March 1996)

§ Mr. Mills
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils aged three and a half will lose their reception places under the Government's nursery voucher scheme. [18798]

§ Mr. Robin Squire
No three-year-old should lose a school place as a result of the nursery voucher scheme because there will be no deduction from resources local education authorities are currently making available for such places.

§ Mr. Spearing
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is(a) the estimated number of four-year-olds eligible, (b) the number of full-time equivalent places already available for (i) each existing category of provider and (ii) in total, (c) the additional number of full-time equivalent places expected from existing and new providers by category and total and (d) the estimated deficit or surplus number of places, in each of the areas of local education authorities participating in the voucher scheme for early age education. [19109]

§ Mr. Squire
The best estimates of the number of four-year-olds in January 1995, with and without a place in the maintained sector in each of the phase 1 local education authorities are given. Estimates of participation are less reliable when broken down by both year group and LEA area. The Department does not hold information on the number of places in the private and voluntary sectors.

LEA Estimated number of 4 year olds Estimated number of 4 year olds without a place in the maintained sector in January 1995 Estimated number of 4 year olds in maintained provision at January 1995

Wandsworth 3,300 700 2,600

Westminster 1,900 800 1,100

Kensington and Chelsea 1,650 850 800

Norfolk 9,300 3,000 6,300

§ Mr. Steinberg
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 280, if she will estimate the shortfall in places available relative to the number of children whose parents require places under the nursery voucher scheme. [18942]

§ Mr. Squire
Based on estimated population and participation figures, some 145,000 four-year-olds in England were not in nursery education places in the maintained sector in January 1995. Many of these have places in the voluntary or private sectors.
178W

LEA	Estimated number of 4 year olds	Estimated number of 4 year olds without a place in the maintained sector in January 1995	Estimated number of 4 year olds in maintained provision at January 1995
Wandsworth	3,300	700	2,600
Westminster	1,900	800	1,100
Kensington and Chelsea	1,650	850	800
Norfolk	9,300	3,000	6,300