THIS WEEK IN 1997: Youngsters go to nursery for free

The government approved plans to give each four-year-old in the Portsmouth area a free nursery place from September.

Education secretary David Blunkett accepted plans submitted by Hampshire and Portsmouth education authorities to replace the old nursery vouchers scheme.

It meant every four-year-old in Portsmouth, Havant, Gosport and Fareham would be eligible for five free two-and-a-half hour sessions a week in term time.