To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the numbers of (a) children, (b) qualified staff and (c) full-time equivalent qualified staff in registered (i) pre-school nurseries and (ii) playgroups for each academic year from 1970–71 to 1988–89 in (1) Wales as a whole and (2) each county of Wales.

The number of staff in registered pre-school nurseries and playgroups is not held centrally. The available information on the numbers of places for children in registered pre-school nurseries and registered playgroups is shown in the following table. Data before 1975 are not readily available.