Child Care (Hansard, 18 March 2004)

§ Mr. Simmonds
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many free child care places provided by the Government have(a) been taken up and (b) not been taken up by parents of children below compulsory school age in each year since 1998. [161015]

§ Margaret Hodge
The information is not available in the form requested.
Figures on the number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four-year-olds are shown in the table.
The latest figures on provision for three and four-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/.

Number of free nursery education places taken up by 3 and 4-years-old children, England 1998–2003

3-year-olds

Position in January each year Maintained nursery and primary schools¹ Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers² 4-year-olds³ Total

1998 222,000 0 591,500 813,500

1999 225,700 0 593,800 819,500

2000 229,900 40,300 598,500 868,600

2001 226,600 108,800 589,300 924,700

3-year-olds 4-year-olds

Maintained nursery and primary schools¹ Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers² Maintained nursery and primary schools¹ Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers² Total 4-year-olds Total

2002 223,500 184,700 477,700 106,800 584,500 992,800

2003 218,700 226,100 472,200 107,100 579,300 1,024,000

¹ Headcount of children aged three at 31st December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools Census.

² Part-time equivalent number of children aged 3 at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. Nursery Education Grant for 3-year-olds was allocated to the 65 local education authorities in 1999–2000 and all LEAs from 2000–01.

³ Part-time equivalent number of children aged 4 at 31December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education grant data collection exercise.

⁴ Headcount of children aged 4 at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools Census.

⁵ Part-time equivalent number of children aged 4 at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the EarlyYears supplementary data collection exercise.

§ Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if he will make a statement on the number of children in Crosby who have gained from the National Childcare Strategy; [160402]
(2) how many child care places have been created in Crosby since 1997. [160524]

§ Margaret Hodge
Information on the number of new child care places created in individual constituencies is available only from 1999. Sefton local authority reported that between April 1999 and December 2003, 565 new child care places opened in Crosby
460W
By April 2004, six months ahead of our original target, all three-year-olds in England whose parents want one, will have access to a free, part-time early education place.

§ Mr. Simmonds
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the take-up of nursery places was, broken down by(a) public and (b) private child care provision for children under compulsory school age in each year since 1998. [161020]

§ 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 England are shown in the tables.
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/.
We have made the commitment that by April 2004, six months ahead of our original target, all 3-year-olds in England whose parents want one, will have access to a free, part-time early education place.
constituency. A place typically helps more than one child, as not all children take up places full-time, and we estimate these places will help some 1,000 children. During the same period, Sefton reported that 217 child care places closed in Crosby, so that the stock of child care places rose by 348 helping some 700 children.

Number of free nursery education places taken up by 3 and 4-years-old children, England 1998–2003
3-year-olds
Position in January each year	Maintained nursery and primary schools¹	Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers²	4-year-olds³	Total
1998	222,000	0	591,500	813,500
1999	225,700	0	593,800	819,500
2000	229,900	40,300	598,500	868,600
2001	226,600	108,800	589,300	924,700

	3-year-olds	4-year-olds
	Maintained nursery and primary schools¹	Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers²	Maintained nursery and primary schools¹	Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers²	Total 4-year-olds	Total
2002	223,500	184,700	477,700	106,800	584,500	992,800
2003	218,700	226,100	472,200	107,100	579,300	1,024,000
¹ Headcount of children aged three at 31st December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools Census.
² Part-time equivalent number of children aged 3 at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. Nursery Education Grant for 3-year-olds was allocated to the 65 local education authorities in 1999–2000 and all LEAs from 2000–01.
³ Part-time equivalent number of children aged 4 at 31December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education grant data collection exercise.
⁴ Headcount of children aged 4 at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools Census.
⁵ Part-time equivalent number of children aged 4 at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the EarlyYears supplementary data collection exercise.