HC Deb 22 January 2002 vol 378 cc815-6W
Ms Buck

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what records are kept by her Department on the extent of early years nursery provision in each London borough for the last five years; and if she will publish such records. [28082]

Margaret Hodge

The Department collects data on the numbers of three and four-year-old children taking up free early years education places at (1) maintained nursery and primary schools, and (2) maintained early years settings (other than maintained nursery and primary schools), independent schools, and private and voluntary early years settings in England, that are registered with Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships, in each local education authority area in England. These data are collected each term throughout the year as part of the Department's Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.

The Department also collects data on the numbers of three and four-year-old children taking up early years education places in the spring term at (1) maintained nursery and primary schools in England, as part of its annual Schools Census data collection exercise, and (2) maintained early years settings (other than maintained nursery and primary schools), independent schools, private and voluntary early years settings in England, that are registered with Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships, as part of its annual Early Years Census data collection exercise.

Figures for 1997 to 2001 for LEA areas in England for three and four-year-old children in maintained nursery and primary schools were published in Statistical Bulletin 11-2001 "Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2001" which is available from the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics/or the Library. In addition, figures for three and four year old children taking up free early years education places in maintained nursery and primary schools and maintained early years settings (other than maintained nursery and primary schools), independent schools, private and voluntary early years settings were published in a table alongside the bulletin on the Department's website.