Written question asked by George Stevenson (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 July 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 1 September 2003. It was answered by Baroness Hodge of Barking (Labour) on Monday, 1 September 2003 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Dept for Education and Skills

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many childcare places have been created in (a) Stoke South constituency and (b) Stoke-on-Trent Unitary Authority since 1997. - Inc figures.

Answer: Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places have been created in (a) Stoke South constituency and (b) Stoke-on- Trent Unitary Authority since 1997. [125623] Margaret Hodge: Figures on new child care places created have been collected quarterly from local authorities since April 1999. Between April 1999 and March 2003, our latest information, Stoke-on-Trent Unitary Authority reported the creation of a total of 2,148 new child care places. This includes 454 new places with childminders. Figures for constituencies are available for group-based child care provision but not for childminders; between April 1999 and March 2003 Stoke-on-Trent Unitary Authority reported the creation of 490 new group-based child care places in Stoke South constituency.

Secondary information