asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she is satisfied with the rate of provision of nursery school places in Cornwall; and if she will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend will not be satisfied until nursery education is available to all 3 and 4-year-olds who want it. Although the Cornwall local education authority has taken up allocations every year under my Department's nursery education building programme, providing a steady increase in the number of places, it has not applied for grants for nursery education projects under the urban aid programme. This is, however, a matter for the local education authority.