§ Mr. KempTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many(a) registered nursery and (b) playgroup places there were in the Northern Region in (i) 1996 and (ii) at the latest date for which figures are available. [155011]
§ Ms HodgeThe available information is contained in the following table. This includes information on day nurseries and playgroups for March 1996 and March 2000.
Since September 1998 there has been a free part-time early education place for all four-year-olds, whose parents want one, and a steadily increasing number of free places for three-year-olds. From September 2004 all three-year-olds will be entitled to a free early education place.
I am afraid it is not possible to provide a count of the number of people being awarded postal status due to hardship incurred by travel expenses to sign on at the nearest Jobcentre. People are required to attend the Jobcentre each fortnight as part of maintaining their claim for Jobseeker's Allowance. However, depending on circumstances, some people are allowed to maintain their claim by post—those who would have to spend an unreasonable amount of time travelling to the Jobcentre, and those who have a mental or physical disability which restricts their mobility.
Postal status is not usually awarded on the basis of costs incurred for attending the Jobcentre. However, Jobcentre Managers do have some discretion in offering this facility if someone's journey would involve the use of a form of transport which they could not be expected to use on a regular basis, for example, a ferry.
I hope this is helpful.