Cost of Childcare 2023-11-22
2023-11-22
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question addresses the unavailability and high cost of free childcare in Northern Ireland.
The Minister knows that free childcare is not available in Northern Ireland, but is he aware of the serious consequences that people across the north are facing, particularly women? Childcare is extremely expensive in Northern Ireland—the most expensive outside of London—so something really needs to be done. Rather than telling me that this is just a matter for the Executive, who are not even sitting, can he tell me what he is doing right now to secure free childcare for those women, and who is he speaking to about it?
I know that the hon. Lady does not mean to implore me to ride roughshod over the Belfast/Good Friday agreement, but we need to abide by the devolution settlement in that agreement. Northern Ireland has its own childcare system, and it is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive and the Northern Ireland Department of Education to put in place the much-needed policies for childcare support that the hon. Lady quite rightly raises.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific request was not addressed; instead, emphasis was placed on devolution settlement.
Devolved Matters
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The question addresses the use of Northern Ireland's flag on a post about childcare, implying a comparison with policies in the Republic.
Given that a post on the Prime Minister's No. 10 Instagram account this week celebrated Northern Ireland's businesses with the Irish tricolour, does the Minister think that parents would get a better child deal with the Republic?
I am confident that somewhere there is a junior communications professional lamenting the fact that they accepted the automatically generated flag on that Instagram post, and I do not wish to deepen their embarrassment by going further. The hon. Gentleman will have noticed that I was proud to put out on my own Instagram the lapel pin that I am currently wearing.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific comparison with Republic of Ireland childcare policies was not addressed; instead, focus was shifted to social media post handling.
Social Media
Response accuracy