HC Deb 23 July 2004 vol 424 cc783-4W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria are used for admission to neighbourhood nurseries which are oversubscribed. [185524]

Mr. Stephen Twigg

Neighbourhood nurseries are intended to provide child care and early education places for children under five in the most disadvantaged areas of the country. Providers that have set up a neighbourhood nursery are required to ensure that they give priority to children and families who live within the target area. It is for individual providers to establish their own admissions policy and determine how they will deal with oversubscription. However, in doing so they must meet this requirement. We expect providers and the local authority to monitor the position on an annual basis.

Mr. Simmonds

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how the nursery education grant budget was spent in 2003–04. [185735]

Margaret Hodge

The information is not available in the form requested. From April 2003, local authorities (LAs) no longer received funds through the Nursery Education Grant. Funds were consolidated within the under-fives sub-block of the Education Formula Spending Share (EFSS)—their main education budget. It is for individual LAs in consultation with local partners to determine how overall resources should be used.

All LAs received sufficient funding to enable them to meet their statutory responsibilities to provide free nursery education for three and four year olds. The overall EFSS under fives sub-block in 2003–04 was worth some £2.6 billion.