Nursery Education

Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Science – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 30 November 1967.

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Photo of Mrs Renée Short Mrs Renée Short , Wolverhampton North East 12:00, 30 November 1967

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what allocation he intends to make in the 1968–69 and 1969–70 building pro- grammes for the implementation of the Plowden proposals for nursery education.

Photo of Mr Patrick Gordon Walker Mr Patrick Gordon Walker , Leyton

I cannot yet say when it will be possible to contemplate any expansion of nursery education on the lines recommended in the Plowden Report.

Photo of Mrs Renée Short Mrs Renée Short , Wolverhampton North East

My right hon. Friend will be aware that that is a very disappointing reply. Cannot he tell the House whether some of the £16 million that his predecessor found after the publication of the Plowden Report will be used to provide nursery education, especially in educating priority areas? If not, why not?

Photo of Mr Patrick Gordon Walker Mr Patrick Gordon Walker , Leyton

Because the £16 million is a capital sum set aside, which will go mainly into building primary schools, but also some secondary schools. Nursery education, which I am in favour of extending in education priority areas, would involve current money all the time.

Photo of Sir Edward Boyle Sir Edward Boyle , Birmingham Handsworth

Will the Minister tell us what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to provide nursery classes in existing schools in accordance with the policy propounded when the Conservative Government were in power as long ago as 1963?

Photo of Mr Patrick Gordon Walker Mr Patrick Gordon Walker , Leyton

Local education authorities do provide this—on a small scale, I am afraid. I cannot encourage it by the rate support grant, because I have not enough money to do that at the moment. The more local education authorities do this the happier I will be.