Affordable Childcare 2023-02-27
2023-02-27
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Improving parents' ability to afford childcare is a priority, especially as the Budget approaches.
What steps she is taking to improve access to affordable childcare. With the Budget coming up, will the Government look at how reducing the cost of childcare could help productivity by supporting women who want to go back into the workplace and bringing back over-50s who may have retired early partly to look after grandchildren?
Improving parents' access to affordable childcare is a Government priority. We are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC to deliver the childcare choices campaign. My right hon Friend is correct that childcare supports women and parents into the labour market, and we want to support families by exploring options to achieve this. The Government have delivered a huge amount on childcare, including doubling the 15-hour entitlement for working parents of three to four-year-olds to 30 hours and introducing 15 free hours for disadvantaged two-year-olds.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask regarding reducing childcare costs in the Budget was not directly addressed with concrete commitments or figures.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Spiralling childcare costs are a significant burden on families, particularly those with multiple children.
On Saturday, I met a constituent who was about to return to work from her maternity leave after having her second child. Her childcare costs for a three-year-old and a one-year-old will be £2,700 a month. Spiralling childcare costs are an unbearable cost of living pressure for many families, so what discussions has the Minister had with the Treasury about tackling this unsustainable pressure, and can parents and providers expect to see the urgent change that is needed in the forthcoming Budget?
I thank the hon. Lady for her question. I understand it is a challenging time with the cost of living and with childcare. I would say it is the Conservative Government who have done the most of any party to expand hourly entitlements, including expanding hours for three to four-year-olds, introducing 15 hours for disadvantaged two-year-olds, introducing the holidays and activities fund, and doubling the number of families in recent years who have taken up tax-free childcare.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask regarding discussions with the Treasury on tackling spiralling costs was not directly addressed.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The Government has taken steps to expand hourly entitlements for childcare.
My right hon Friend is correct that childcare supports women and parents into the labour market, and we want to support families by exploring options to achieve this. The Government have delivered a huge amount on childcare, including doubling the 15-hour entitlement for working parents of three to four-year-olds to 30 hours and introducing 15 free hours for disadvantaged two-year-olds.
Improving parents' access to affordable childcare is a Government priority. We are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC to deliver the childcare choices campaign. My right hon Friend is correct that childcare supports women and parents into the labour market, and we want to support families by exploring options to achieve this.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask regarding supporting families in returning to work through affordable childcare was not directly addressed with concrete commitments or figures.
Response accuracy