NURSERY education vouchers get the thumbs up from Bury South MP David Sumberg - but prospective parliamentary Labour candidate David Chaytor is fiercely against the scheme! The Minister of State for Education, in answer to questions from Mr. Sumberg, said that significant new funds were being provided to allow nursery education for all four year olds.

"If local education authority nursery schools continue to attract the same number of four year olds they will receive the same level of funding," said the Minister.

He added that the results of pilot schemes, to be undertaken by four local authorities commencing in April, will be carefully scrutinised before the national scheme is implemented in 1997.

Visiting Hoyle's nursery in Bury Mr. Chaytor explained the voucher proposals to parents who are confused by the new system, especially in terms of funding.

Many are concerned that Hoyle's could become a casualty if funding levels dropped and cuts had to be made.

Attacking the scheme Mr. Chaytor said that all the voucher scheme would do would be to take cash away from existing providers for it to come back again through vouchers.

He invited parents to join Labour's campaign against vouchers and to lobby their MP about the matter.

"Rather than wasting money on administration at a cost of £20 million, the government should be following the example in Bury by making sure that there are high quality nursery places for all three and four year olds whose parents want it," he declared.

Mr. Sumberg, along with Bury North MP Alistair Burt, met with head teachers in Bury to discuss the government's proposals and gave assurances that the collective views of Bury's Primary School head teachers would be put to the Minister before the voucher scheme comes to Bury.

"I welcome the fact that we are to have pilot schemes. The task in hand is to meet the twin objectives of enhancing choice for parents while maintaining excellent centres of nursery education provided by local councils such as Bury," said Mr. Sumberg.

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