§ 19. Mr. McNultyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to expand nursery education in Northern Ireland. [20830]
§ 29. Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to expand nursery education in Northern Ireland. [20875]
§ Mr. WorthingtonAs the first stage of an expansion programme, £1.9 million is being provided in 1998–99 to create 1,700 full-year pre-school education places—an increase of 15 per cent. on existing grant-aided pre-school provision. The additional places will be secured in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors, and will be targeted initially on children from socially disadvantaged circumstances and the oldest four-year-olds. The expansion will be planned at local level by Pre-School Education Advisory Groups, established by the five Education and Library Boards which are responsible for securing the implementation of the initiative. A paper setting out proposals for the expansion programme was issued for consultation purposes on 17 December, and a copy has been placed in the Library.