Education (Stalybridge and Hyde) (Hansard, 29 April 2004)

§ James Purnell
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many childcare places have been created in Stalybridge and Hyde since 1997; [168750]
(2) how many children in Stalybridge and Hyde have gained from the National Childcare Strategy. [168757]

§ Margaret Hodge
The Department is unable to provide details of childcare places for Stalybridge and Hyde. However, from April 1999 to December 2003 Manchester Local Authority created 6,086 new child care places helping some 11,101 children. This shows an increase in the stock of child care places, taking into account turnover, of 3,629 helping some 6,772 children.

§ James Purnell
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on computers for schools in Stalybridge and Hyde in each of the last seven years. [168751]

§ Mr. Charles Clarke
My Department does not collect information on school spend on computers at constituency level. However Stalybridge and Hyde is in Tameside LEA and since 1998–99 schools in Tameside have benefited from the following funding through the Standards Fund grant for ICT (including match funding from the LEA):

Allocation to Tameside LEA

£

1998–99 400,000

1999–2000 300,000

2000–01 982,825

2001–02 1,105,494

2002–03 1,562,674

2003–04 1,584,573

2004–05 2,015,558

§ James Purnell
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) free nursery places and (b) pre-school places were available for (i) 3 and (ii) 4-year-olds in Stalybridge and Hyde in each of the last seven years. [168758]
1261W

§ Margaret Hodge
The information is not available in the form requested. Figures on the number of free nursery education places taken up by 3 and 4-year-olds in Tameside local education authority area are shown in the table.
The latest figures on provision for 3 and 4-year-olds in England were published in a Statistical Bulletin 'Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2003' which is available on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.
Since the beginning of April 2004, six months ahead of our original target, all 3-year-olds in England whose parents want one, will be eligible for a free, part-time early education place.

Number of free nursery education places^1,2 taken up by 3 and
4-year-old children in maintained nursery and primary schools and
private, voluntary and independent providers—Tameside local
education authority area: 1997–2003

Position in January each year 3-year-olds 4-year-olds

1997 1,700 2,900

1998 1,600 2,900

1999 1,600 2,800

2000 2,100 2,700

2001 2,200 2,800

2002 2,200 2,600

2003 2,200 2,600

¹Part-time equivalent number of free nursery education places taken up by 3 and 4-year-old children.

²A free nursery education place comprises five two and a half hour sessions of early years education per week, for 33 weeks of the year, usually three terms of 11 weeks.

Allocation to Tameside LEA
£
1998–99	400,000
1999–2000	300,000
2000–01	982,825
2001–02	1,105,494
2002–03	1,562,674
2003–04	1,584,573
2004–05	2,015,558

Number of free nursery education places^1,2 taken up by 3 and 4-year-old children in maintained nursery and primary schools and private, voluntary and independent providers—Tameside local education authority area: 1997–2003
Position in January each year	3-year-olds	4-year-olds
1997	1,700	2,900
1998	1,600	2,900
1999	1,600	2,800
2000	2,100	2,700
2001	2,200	2,800
2002	2,200	2,600
2003	2,200	2,600
¹Part-time equivalent number of free nursery education places taken up by 3 and 4-year-old children.
²A free nursery education place comprises five two and a half hour sessions of early years education per week, for 33 weeks of the year, usually three terms of 11 weeks.