§ Mr. SimmondsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what Government expenditure on early years education was in each year since 1997, broken down by main budget heading. [171302]
§ Margaret HodgeFrom April 2003, all funding to support the delivery of early years education was consolidated within the under-fives sub-block of each LA's Education Formula Spending Share (EFSS)—the main source of education funding. Prior to that time, provision in the private, voluntary and independent sectors together with new places in the maintained sector was funded through separate ring-fenced grant and existing places in the maintained sector were funded through the Standard Spending Assessments (SSAs). Expenditure on early education and funding for the under-fives block was as follows:
£ Early education (expenditure) Under-fives block (funding) 1997–98 637 562 1998–99 134 1,170 1999–2000 150 1,280 2000–01 247 1,340 2001–02 224 1,490 2002–03 326 1,620 2003–041 42 2,600 1Provisional. Notes:
Outturn figures for early education in 2003–04 are provisional. Final figures will be available later in 2004.
Funding for the under-fives block in 2003–04 includes an apportionment of the pensions transfer into EFSS.
§ Mr. SimmondsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many nursery managers are qualified to NVQ level 3 or above. [171368]
§ Margaret HodgeAccording to the 2001 Childcare Workforce Survey, 78 per cent. of nursery managers were qualified to NVQ level 3 or above. Results from the 2003 survey are due to be published shortly.
298W
Mathematics English Manchester, Gorton England Manchester, Gorton England Number of pupils achieving Level 4
+Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4
+Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4
+Number of pupils achieving Level 4
+Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4
+Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4
+2003 659 61 73 690 64 75 2002 711 64 73 688 62 75 2001 628 61 71 638 62 75 2000 612 60 72 621 61 75 1999 584 55 69 593 56 71 1998 456 43 59 548 52 65 1997 526 49 62 568 53 63
§ Mr. SimmondsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skill; if he will make a statement on recruitment and retention of staff in the nursery and childcare sectors. [171371]
§ Margaret HodgeThe Government are committed to increasing both Early Years provision and the quality of that provision. We have already created new childcare places for 1.6 million children and are now committed to creating at least 250,000 new places for 450,000 children by 2006. Recruiting and retaining sufficient numbers of good quality staff to support this expansion is essential and we are helping early years' employers to do so.
Over the next two years, we are providing local authorities with £129.9 million for workforce development, including £14 million to support recruitment in their local areas. Our childcare recruitment campaign has been running since 2000 and has been successful in raising the profile of job opportunities in the sector. To date, we have received over 200,000 responses to the campaign.
§ Mr. SimmondsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many childminder inspections were carried out by Ofsted's Early Years Directorate in each year since 2000. [171372]
§ Margaret HodgeThe number of childminder inspections carried out by Ofsted is a matter for the Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted) and the HM Chief Inspector for Schools, David Bell will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of his letter in the Library.