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22 Jan 2008 : Column 1901Wcontinued
by 2008, increase the take up of formal childcare by lower income working families by [50 per cent. provisional, to be confirmed in spring 2006].
This equated to an increase in take up by some 86,000 families. Changes to the FRS survey in 2005-6 meant it was not possible to establish a satisfactory baseline and trajectory using that measure. In November 2006, the target was finalised using the then Department for Education and Skills (DFES) survey of parents use of childcare series 2005 to 2008 to set the baseline and measure progress. The finalised target being
by 2008, to increase the number of children in lower income working families using formal childcare by 120,000.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the take-up of free school meals in (a) Portsmouth, (b) Southampton and (c) Hampshire local education authorities was in each of the last five years; what the estimated number of children eligible was in each year; and what steps he is taking to increase the take-up. [179746]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested is given in the following tables:
Take-up of free school meals in Portsmouth, Southampton and Hampshire local authorities 2003 to 2007 at January each year table A: maintained nursery and primary schools | |||||
Number on roll | Pupils taking free school meals | Percentage taking free school meals | Number known to be eligible for free meals | Percentage known to be eligible for free meals | |
Both tables include middle schools as deemed and dually registered and boarding pupils. Totals are rounded to the nearest 100. Figures for 2007, and accompanying notes, were published as part of the Statistical First Release: Schools and Pupils in England: January 2007, which can be found at:
Increasing take-up of school lunches is a priority for this Department and for the School Food Trust (SFT). The SFT has a target to increase take-up of school lunches, from a 2005-06 baseline, by 4 percentage points by March 2008 and by 10 percentage points by autumn 2009. In addition, school lunch take-up is now an indicator in both the Local Government National Indicator Set, from which local authorities and their partners will agree their own targets in Local Area Agreements; and Public Service Agreement 12Improve the health and well-being of children and young peopleof the 2007 comprehensive spending review.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many children in (a) Teesside and (b) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency are in receipt of 15 hour entitlement to free nursery care; [179617]
(2) what estimates he has made of the number of children in (a) Teesside and (b) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency who will be affected by the funding allocated to improve nursery schools in the region. [179618]
Beverley Hughes: All three and four-year-olds in England are able to access 12Â1/2 hours a week of free early education for 38 weeks of the year. The available information on the number of part-time funded places filled by three and four-year-olds in (a) Teesside and (b) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency is shown in the following table.
Local authority area | Three-year-olds | Four-year-olds |
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland parliamentary constituency area |
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