§ Mr. MillsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what will be the level of provision per pupil under the Government's proposed nursery scheme for(a) year 1, (b) year 2 and (c) year 3, for those pupils (i) aged three-and-a-half-years, (ii) in reception class and (iii) aged four years; and how this figure compares with the current provision. [18799]
§ Mr. Robin SquireLocal education authority budgets will be reduced only by the voucher value for every four-year-old in maintained provision. They will receive £1,100 for every full voucher redeemed at a local authority-maintained school. If LEA-maintained schools recruit the same number of four-year-olds as now, then their budgets will be unaffected. Moreover, if they currently spend above the voucher value on places for four-year-olds, or on provision for three-year-olds, the funding mechanism ensures that they retain the funds to continue doing so. They will, therefore, continue to be able to fund pre-school places at existing levels.
The expansion of provision will be largely driven by parental choice and is expected to become universal for four-year-olds within a reasonable time.