HC Deb 23 November 2001 vol 375 cc522-3W
Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the location of the sure start programmes which(a) are in operation, (b) are in the process of being implemented and (c) are planned; and what are the criteria for inclusion in each element of the programme. [14134]

Yvette Cooper

[holding answer 13 November 2001]: Local authority districts are invited to develop sure start programmes on the basis of levels of disadvantage and poverty, though achieving a good mix between rural, urban, semi-urban and coastal areas and across the country is also ensured. Once a district has been invited to develop a programme it is up to local stakeholders—from the voluntary, statutory and community sectors—to decide upon the local catchment area. Partnerships are asked to choose a catchment area with high levels of need and which is among the poorest in the district.

Table A shows the locations of sure start programmes for which funding has been approved and are delivering services or starting to deliver them. Table B shows the locations which are currently developing sure start programmes. All of these areas will receive approval once their plans meet the standards set out in the sure start guidance. The tables have been placed in the Libraries.

Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to extend sure start to all local education authorities; and if she will make a statement. [15557]

Jacqui Smith

Sure start aims to support young children and their families living in disadvantaged areas so that they have improved life chances. The Government have now announced 437 out of the 500 sure start programmes planned to be operational by April 2004. These are located in 197 different local authority districts and in 130 out of the 150 local education authority (LEA) areas. At least a further 63 programmes will be announced next year which may extend sure start to more LEAs. In addition to the 500 full-scale sure start programmes, we have allocated £22 million to establish 50 small sure start programmes to reach pockets of deprivation, particularly those in rural areas. These will be located in 34 different LEA areas, bringing the total number of LEAs with a sure start presence to 135.

The experience and lessons learned from sure start will be shared widely so that, even where there is no local sure start programme, children and parents in the area will benefit from access to improved services.

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the cost and performance of the sure start programme(a) nationally and (b) the boroughs of Middlesbrough (ii) Redcar and (iii) Cleveland. [16215]

Jacqui Smith

[holding answer 16 November 2001]: The Government are committed to establishing 500 sure start programmes by March 2004. In July of this year, the fifth wave of sure start was announced. This brought the total number of programmes announced so far to 437. Over 200 of these programmes have received final approval and are delivering services to children and families in disadvantaged areas. In total, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland have been invited to submit plans for eight sure start programmes. Of these, three have been approved, one is in the final stages of planning and the other four are in the very early stages of planning.

Nationally, over £600 million has been committed to approved programmes for their first three years of operation. The three approved programmes in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland will receive approximately £6.5 million of this.