§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of three-year-olds were in nursery education on(a) 1 May 1997, (b) 31 December 1998, (c) 31 December 2001 and (d) the latest date for which information is available; and if she will make a statement. [69296]
§ Estelle Morris[holding answer 11 July 2002]: The available information on three-year-olds in early years education provision is shown in the following table.
§ Estelle MorrisMy Department does not collect the information requested.
In England all funding for full and part-time nursery education places for four-year-olds, along with the majority of funding for three-year-olds, in the local authority maintained sector, is determined locally.
The balance of funding for three-year-olds comes through the Nursery Education Grant. In 2002–03 the grant for a free, part-time early education place for three-year-olds is £1,218 per child. This funding purchases five, two and a half hour sessions per week, for 33 weeks per year.