§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate the cost of establishing 1,000 children's centres by 2008. [177651]
§ Margaret HodgeThe Government are allocating £435 million in the current Spending Review period to develop children's centres and 43,000 new full day care places in disadvantaged areas. Local authorities are responsible for deciding how many centres to develop, but their current plans indicate that around 975 will be operational by March 2006. The Government are committed to establishing 1,700 children's centres by March 2008, serving all of the most disadvantaged areas in England. Funding for this expansion will be announced later in the year.