§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many submissions he has received(a) in favour and (b) opposed to nursery school vouchers in the last two years. [3224]
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansThe Government's intention of increasing provision for four-year-olds has been welcomed. Submissions in favour of a voucher scheme as a means of giving effect to those proposals have not been solicited, although there has been one specific letter of support. In addition to ministerial correspondence, the Welsh Office has received some 4,500 letters and almost 60 petitions in opposition to the scheme. The large amount of correspondence against the scheme is not surprising as it is clear from the letters that there have been many misunderstandings and much misinformation.