§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each nursery school in Shrewsbury and Atcharn(a) the funding received and (b) the number of free nursery places created since 1 May 1997 for (i) three-year-olds and (ii) four-year-olds; and if he will make a statement. [160521]
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§ Ms Hodge[holding answer 9 May 2001]: Data regarding funding and number places for each individual nursery school are not held centrally.
Since 1997, however, a total of 1,639 new early education places have been created for three and four-year-olds in all settings in the Shropshire local education authority area. Since September 1998, all four-year-olds have been able to access a free, part-time early education place.
In 2001–02, Shropshire LEA has been allocated sufficient funding to create a further 748 new early education places for three-year-olds. By September 2004, all three-year-olds in England will be entitled to a free early education place, if their parents want one.
The funding available to Shropshire for early years education and child care since 1997 is shown in the following table.
£ Year Child care funding Early Years Funding (SSA and Nursery Education Grant) Total 1997–98 n/a 4,336,632 4,336,632 1998–99 70,000 5,638,935 5,708,935 1999–2000 199,200 5,863.664 6,062,864 2000–01 296,400 6,520,177 6,816,577 2001–02 1,168.690 7,268,624 8,437,314 Notes:
- 1. Figures for 1997–98 show the position before boundary changes took effect and include Telford and Wrekin. Figures for later years are for Shropshire only, without Telford and Wrekin.
- 2. Figures for 2001–02 are estimates only.