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A breakdown of the £4 billion government investment in Sure Start by 2005-6 set out in the spending review was announced by Charles Clarke, education secretary, writes Amy Taylor.

The detailed announcement includes the creation of more childcare places and the establishment of children's centres in disadvantaged areas.

£1 billion of the Sure Start investment will be made in 2003-04, £1.3 billion in 2004-05 and £1.6 billion in 2005-06. The breakdown is as follows:

• Between £327 and £345 million in years 2003-06 to give all three-year-olds a free nursery education place in their area.
• Between £471 and £843 million in years 2003-06 is to be given to the Sure Start programme in disadvantaged areas. This includes between £83 million and £138 million in years 2003-06 to provide more neighbourhood nurseries - creating 28,800 more places by March 2006 to the 45,000 the government aims to have set up by March 2004.
• Between £5 million and £181 million in years 2003-06 to provide children's centres in disadvantaged areas for at least 650,000 children by March 2006.
• Between £13 million and £25 million in years 2003-06 to provide 100 early excellence centres.
• Other childcare places spending rises to between £136 million and £258 million in years 2003-06. This includes between £19 million and £40 million in years 2003-06 for out of school childcare places to achieve the government's target of 250,000 places by March 2006.