asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now introduce legislation providing free state nursery education for all children under five years of age; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's aim, that their plans for local authorities' expenditure should allow provision attributable to under-fives education to be maintained in real terms, as stated in the recent White Paper "Better Schools", is as realistic an aim as can be expected in the foreseeable future. Within this level of provision there is scope for local flexibility and for improvements in quality and cost-effectiveness.