year-olds and under as a percentage of the 3-to-4-year-old population has also increased from 51% in 1998 to 77% in 2002. The U.K. government is focused on the ECE industry and expects to spend $18 billion on child care schemes in the near future through “Sure Start’, an initiative designed to encourage additional participation in high quality childcare through extensive subsidies. The government's intention is to create 3,500 additional children’s centers in un-serviced, low-income communities. Comparison of per-child expenditure at Pre-Primary and Primary levels 2001 $200 $172 3 $150 113 = $91 $104 $108 $ 5 $100 $56 $60 « $50 $0 Sweden Japan France Mexico Norway United States United Kingdom Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics database. Note: Calculations based on expenditure per child in U.S. dollars at purchase price parity, using full time equivalents. ' Public and private institutions only. 72 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_024505