§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Sure Start programmes(a) have begun and (b) are planned in (i) St. Helens and (ii) England, broken down by region. [186811]
Margaret Hodge Five Sure Start local programmes have been established in St. Helens since 1999. No further Sure Start local programmes will be developed. As part of our policy to mainstream Sure Start principles, the Government are establishing children's centres across England, many of which will be developed from existing Sure Start local programmes.
524 Sure Start local programmes have been established in England; these break down by region as follows.
1005W
Region Number East of England 24 East Midlands 44 London 96 North East 62 North West 108 South East 33 South West 31 West Midlands 58 Yorkshire and Humber 68
§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans the Government have to extend Sure Start beyond the 20 per cent. most deprived wards; and if he will make a statement. [187362]
§ Margaret HodgeSure Start benefits children, parents and communities across the country, delivering free early education for all three and four-year-olds, improving the quality and affordability of child care, and creating at least 250,000 new child care places by 2006. Sure Start children's centres are being established initially in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards and areas where pockets of disadvantage exist in England. By March 2008 we will have up to 2,500 children's centres which will cover all the 20 per cent. wards and beyond. The Government's long-term aim is to develop a children's centre in every community.
Mr. Anthony D. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding has been allocated to the Great Yarmouth constituency under the Sure Start scheme. [186712]
§ Margaret HodgeA total of £8,101,348 Sure Start funding has so far been allocated to the constituency of Great Yarmouth, comprising £3 136,535 capital and £4,706,921 revenue towards the development of two Sure Start local programmes, two neighbourhood Nurseries and two Children's Centres. The combined programmes will provide Sure Start services for around 1,596 children and families in the six most disadvantaged wards in the constituency. These figures does not include local authorities funding for child care and nursery educati#n allocated to Norfolk county council.