HC Deb 13 June 2003 vol 406 cc208-9W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of children living in the Greater London area receive education at three or four years of age. [114855]

Mr. Miliband

In January 2002, 89 per cent. of three or four-year-old children in Greater London received education in a private, voluntary, independent, special or maintained establishment.

In every local education authority area there is an early education place for every four-year-old whose parents want one in either the maintained, private or voluntary sector. We have made the commitment that by April 2004, six months ahead of our original target, all three-year-olds whose parents want one, will have access to a free, part-time early education place.

The latest local authority figures on early years provision in England were published in the Departments Statistical Bulletin 08/2002, Provision for Children Under Five Years of Age in England: January 2002, in December 2002. An electronic copy of which is available in the Library and on the DfES website: www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics