Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Early Years Provision

Monday 17 April 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • James Daly welcomed the extended entitlement for early years provision introduced in the spring Budget but questioned whether supplementary funding would cover the total entitlement.
  • Greg Smith inquired about the availability of suitable and affordable premises for early years provision, highlighting a local pre-school facing challenges.
  • Helen Hayes asked about the rationale behind incentivizing childminders to register with agencies, given the Chancellor's announcement of incentives for childminders in the spring Budget.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 James Daly
Education Children & Families
Context

The question follows up on the initial announcement of extended entitlement in the spring Budget and seeks clarification on supplementary funding.

Question

As chair of the APPG on nursery schools, nursery and reception classes, may I welcome the extended entitlement introduced in the spring Budget, but will the supplementary funding to nursery schools be increased to cover the total entitlement, not just the 15 hours universal entitlement?

Answer from Claire Coutinho

The Government recognise that maintained nursery schools make a valuable contribution, improving the lives of some of our most disadvantaged children. We will provide further details on funding arrangements for the new entitlements for 2024-25 in due course.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment to increase supplementary funding

How: Will Provide Further Details

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Greg Smith Con Mid Buckinghamshire
Housing Children & Families
Context

The question focuses on the availability of suitable and affordable premises for pre-schools like CHUF in Haddenham.

Question

One of the multiple barriers to increasing early years provision is the availability of suitable and affordable premises in which to run pre-schools. For example, Chearsley and Haddenham under-fives pre-school in my constituency, known locally as CHUF, is on notice to vacate its current Haddenham site and has just over a year to find brand new premises. What can my hon. Friend's Department do to support CHUF in its search for a new Haddenham site? What steps is she taking, in particular with colleagues in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to ensure sites for childcare provision are fully included as an essential item to be funded through the new infrastructure levy?

Answer from Claire Coutinho

Under the new infrastructure levy, which is being introduced through the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, local authorities will have the flexibility to direct funds towards their own infrastructural priorities. That definitely includes childcare facilities. The Department also has regular contact with each local authority in England about its sufficiency of childcare and any issues that it may be facing.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps for CHUF's new site search

How: Local Authorities Will Have The Flexibility To Direct Funds

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Helen Hayes Lab Dulwich and West Norwood
Children & Families
Context

The question addresses new incentives announced in the spring Budget for people registering as childminders, especially with childminding agencies.

Question

In the spring Budget, the Chancellor announced new incentives for people registering as childminders, and a double incentive to register with childminding agencies. Will the Minister set out why she considers it necessary to incentivise childminders to sign up with agencies, and what conversations she and the Secretary of State had prior to the Budget with the Prime Minister and the agency in which his wife is a shareholder?

Answer from Claire Coutinho

There is a very simple reason: we subsidise Ofsted's registration costs, so a registration costs it about £35, whereas registering a childminder can cost a childminding agency £500-plus. The discrepancy is simply to balance out the fact that they have different costs. I know that the No. 10 team is collaborating with the commissioner to establish the facts and show that everything has been transparently declared.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email