Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Field of Birkenhead and Sarah Teather

Monday 16th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Teather]

I recognise the hon. Gentleman’s point that building capacity is key in this area, and we announced the figures for the number of two-year-olds who will be eligible in each local authority partly to help local authorities to begin to plan for that. We have put extra money into the early intervention grant to ensure that local authorities are able to build capacity, and we are working with 18 local authorities to conduct trials on how they might increase capacity, looking at examples of best practice so that we can share it with other areas.

[Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead) (Lab)]

The whole House welcomes the Government initiative on that front, but what moves is the Minister making to ensure that the poorest children get the very best nursery education, and not just child minding?