§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of children in their immediate pre-school year places in Northern Ireland have not received departmental funding. [82678]
§ Jane KennedyThe Pre-school Education Expansion Programme aims to provide a place for every child whose parents wish it by March 2003. This school year we are providing places for more than 90 per cent, of the total estimated cohort of children in their pre-school year. Given that participation in pre-school education is voluntary rather than compulsory, we expect this level of provision to be adequate to meet demand across the region as a whole. At present my Department is working closely with each Education and Library Board's Pre-School Education Advisory Group in order to ensure that the most effective allocation of funded places has been achieved.