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1271483

registered interest
date	15/12/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to tackle funding deficit between the hourly costs of delivering a funded childcare place for a two-year-old and the rate paid to providers compared to places for three and four-year-olds.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham West and Penge
tabling member printed	Ellie Reeves
uin	130187
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/12/2020 answer text <p>The government continues to support families with their childcare costs. My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 25 November a further £44 million investment in 2021-22.</p><p>We can now also confirm that in 2021-22 we will increase the hourly funding rates for all local authorities by 8p an hour for the 2 year old entitlement and, for the vast majority of areas, by 6p an hour for the 3 and 4 year old entitlement. This will pay for a rate increase that is higher than the costs nurseries may face from the uplift to the national living wage in April.</p><p>We are also increasing the minimum funding floor - meaning no council can receive less than £4.44 per hour for the 3 and 4 year old entitlements.</p><p>The small number of local authorities who have been protected from large drops to their funding rate as a result of the ‘loss cap’ will have their 2020-21 hourly funding rates for 3 and 4 year olds maintained in 2021-22. 2 of these authorities will see an increase to their hourly rate as they come off the loss cap in 2021-22.</p><p>In 2021-22, the average hourly funding rate for a 3-4 year old for the 15 hours universal entitlement in England will be £4.91 and the average hourly funding rate for a 2 year old in England will be £5.56.</p><p>Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we have monitored the health of the early years market through continual contact with early years sector organisations through regular meetings and working groups. We have ensured that early years providers have been able to access all the support available by continuing to fund the free childcare entitlements and via the package of additional support provided by the government, which includes Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS,) business rates relief, income support and job retention schemes.</p><p>We have also updated the CJRS guidance, so that all providers who have seen a drop in their overall income are able to furlough any staff, so long as they were on payroll on or before 30 October, and aren’t required for delivering the government’s funded entitlements. Providers should consult the full guidance on the CJRS scheme before submitting a claim. Childminders may use the Self Employment Income Support Scheme. The sector has also benefitted from business rates holidays and business loans.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 130188 130189 130190 question first answered 23/12/2020 10:55:05 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4620 label Biography information for Ellie Reeves

1271580

registered interest
date	15/12/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding in the Department for Education report Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers and COVID-19, published on 26 October, that 45 per cent of nurseries and pre-schools and 55 per cent of childminders expect to remain financially sustainable for the next year; and what action they intend to take to support those childcare providers who do not expect to remain financially sustainable.
tabling member printed	Lord Watson of Invergowrie
uin	HL11511
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/12/2020 answer text <p>The government recognises the importance of supporting the early years sector financially during the COVID-19 outbreak.</p><p>We are continuing to fund childcare at the same level as before the COVID-19 outbreak, until the end of the calendar year, giving nurseries and childminders another term of secure income, regardless of how many children are attending. Early years settings will continue to benefit from a planned £3.6 billion in funding for the 2020/21 financial year, to create free early education and childcare places.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced on 25 November 2020 a further £44 million investment for the 2021/22 financial year. We can now also confirm that in the 2021/22 financial year, we will increase the hourly funding rates for all local authorities by 8p an hour for the 2 year old entitlement and, for the vast majority of areas, by 6p an hour for the 3 and 4 year old entitlement. This will pay for a rate increase that is higher than the costs nurseries may face from the uplift to the national living wage in April 2020.</p><p>Additionally, the government has provided a package of support for individuals and businesses which are directly benefitting providers of childcare. This includes business rates relief and grants, the extended Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and the extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), which will remain open until April 2021, with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500.</p><p>Our ‘Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers and COVID-19 (Coronavirus)’, published on 26 October 2020, contains information on early years providers’ use of the CJRS and how many childminders applied for and received government support. This can be accessed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/survey-of-childcare-and-early-years-providers-and-covid-19-coronavirus" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/survey-of-childcare-and-early-years-providers-and-covid-19-coronavirus</a>.</p><p>At the time of the survey (July 2020), 76% per cent of open group-based providers and 14% of open school-based providers reported having made use of the CJRS at any point.</p><p>At the time of the survey, all childminders were asked whether they had applied for any financial support from the government due to loss of income (for example, via the SEISS or the Small Business Grant Scheme). The majority of all childminders (86%) reported having applied for financial support from the government. Of these, 80% have received support and 6% had applied for but not yet received support. 14% of childminders had not applied for financial support.</p><p>The government continues to work closely with both local authorities and early years sector organisations to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the sector. We continue to both look at the costs associated with the outbreak and to secure the best and most appropriate support for the sector.</p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 23/12/2020 14:28:30 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	1241 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Invergowrie

1255493

registered interest
date	25/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on funding childcare infrastructure in the (a) short and (b) long term.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	120958
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2020 answer text <p>The government continues to support families with their childcare costs. My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced on 25 November an extra £44 million in the 2021-22 financial year for local authorities in England to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers for the government’s free childcare entitlement offers. This is an above inflation average hourly funding rate uplift for 3-4 year-olds and 2 year-olds, compared to the 2020-21 financial year. Further information on how this will be distributed will be made available as soon as possible.</p><p>Funding beyond the 2021-22 financial year will be considered in the round at future Spending Reviews.</p><p>Education in Wales is a matter for the devolved administration.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 01/12/2020 14:59:59 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1246513

registered interest
date	23/10/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps he has taken to help improve the affordability of childcare.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	108284
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2020 answer text <p>We want parents to have access to a range of affordable childcare, giving them increased flexibility in their working hours and helping children thrive in the crucial early years. That is why the department is investing a planned £3.6 billion in our early education entitlements this year.</p><p>We offer parents a range of free early education entitlements for children aged 2 to 4 years old, giving them increased flexibility in their working hours and helping children thrive in the crucial early years. This includes 15 hours a week free childcare for 38 weeks of the year for all 3- and 4-year olds, with an additional 15 hours (30 hours free childcare) for working families. Working parents may also be eligible for help with up to 85% of their childcare costs through Universal Credit Childcare. This is subject to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1108 for two or more children, payable in arrears.</p><p>Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) is available for children from 0-11 years old, or up to 16 if disabled. The TFC scheme means that for every £8 parents pay their provider via an online account, the government will pay £2. This is up to a maximum contribution of £2,000 per child each year (up to £500 every 3 months), or £4,000 if disabled.</p><p>The early years sector has received significant financial support throughout the coronavirus pandemic to provide stability and reassurance. We continue to provide extra security to nurseries and childminders that are open by ‘block-buying’ childcare places for the autumn term at the level we would have funded before the COVID-19 outbreak, regardless of how many children are attending.</p><p>In addition, temporary measures have been put in place to protect parents who would normally be eligible for Tax Free Childcare or 30 hours free childcare, or both, but who, due to the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, temporarily do not meet the income thresholds.</p><p>These were introduced in May. On 26 October, the government announced that working parents who are eligible for TFC or 30 hours but have temporarily fallen below the minimum income requirement, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, will continue to be entitled to TFC or 30 hours of free childcare, or both if they are receiving income from the Job Support Scheme or Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grants. This will continue until at least April 2021.</p><p>Critical workers who may exceed the income threshold for TFC or 30 hours for the 2020-21 tax year as a result of working more to play a vital role in tackling the COVID-19 outbreak will also continue to be eligible this tax year as a result of these temporary measures.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 02/11/2020 13:42:03 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1241394

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of Sate for Education, what assessment she has made of (a) the level of childcare provision available during the covid-19 outbreak; and what assessment she has made of the effect of available childcare on the number of mothers taking redundancy since March 2020 to date.
tabling member constituency	Bristol South
tabling member printed	Karin Smyth
uin	100458
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2020 answer text <p>Since April 2020, we have been collecting weekly data from all English local authorities to monitor the availability of early years childcare. We collect and publish information on the number of open and closed early years providers as well as the number of children attending. This information contributes to our regular publication, ‘Attendance in education and early years settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak’, which is available here:<br> <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak</a>.</p><p>Term-time attendance at early years settings has been increasing since September. On a typical day in the autumn term, we estimate attendance to be around 887,000 children, due to different and part-time patterns of childcare during the week. We estimate that 753,000 children attended early years settings on 8 October, which is approximately 85% of the usual daily level, and an increase of almost 340,000 from at the end of the summer term. 80% of early years settings were estimated to be open on 8 October.</p><p>From 4 July, wraparound childcare providers and other providers of out-of-school activities have been able to care for all children, with protective measures in place. We have published further updated guidance for providers who run before and after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school settings for children on the protective measures that should be put in place to ensure they are operating as safely as possible. This is also to ensure that with the introduction of our new local COVID-19 alert levels, that wraparound childcare is able to remain open, to support parents to continue to work. The guidance is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/protective-measures-for-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/protective-measures-for-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak</a>.</p><p>We also know that many schools operate their own breakfast and after school clubs, and they should be working to resume this provision, if they have not already. As part of our guidance to schools on full opening, we have provided schools with guidance to support them in reopening this valuable provision. The guidance is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools</a>.</p><p>The department does not hold information on the reasons for redundancy. However, the poll of 1000 parents of 0-4 year old children in May 2020 showed only 7% of critical worker families disagree that ‘the hours their child(ren) can access childcare or school at the time of the poll fits with the working hours of the adults in the household’. Of all parents surveyed who previously used childcare and were not intending to return to formal childcare after the wider reopening on 1 June, only 6% said this was because their usual provider or school was remaining closed and 4% stated their child’s usual provider is only open for some children and their child is not eligible. More details on the poll are available here:<br> <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/parents-0-4-year-olds-and-childcare-1st-june-2020" target="_blank">https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/parents-0-4-year-olds-and-childcare-1st-june-2020</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 16/10/2020 15:30:22 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4444 label Biography information for Karin Smyth

1238144

registered interest
date	28/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support women returning to work to access childcare as restrictions to address the COVID-19 pandemic are eased.
tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
uin	HL8546
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>The government funds a generous package of free and subsidised childcare. Parents can find out more about the support they can get at: <a href="https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/</a>.</p><p>The government recognises the importance of childcare to families. Early years was one of the first sectors in which COVID-19 restrictions were eased. Since 1 June, early years providers have been able to open to all children, and since 20 July, they have been able to return to their normal group sizes.</p><p>We are providing extra security to nurseries and childminders that are open by ‘block-buying’ childcare places for the rest of this year at the level we would have funded before the COVID-19 outbreak, regardless of how many children are attending. We have also made temporary changes to ensure that eligible parents who experienced a reduction or increase in income as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak retain their eligibility for the entitlement to 30 hours of free childcare a week.</p><p>Local authorities are responsible for ensuring there are sufficient childcare places during the COVID-19 outbreak. Parents who are experiencing difficulties in obtaining childcare should contact their local authority directly.</p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 12/10/2020 15:42:35 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1237879

registered interest
date	25/09/2020
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to allow grandparents to be included in a support bubble to help working parents.
tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
uin	95642
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>We recognise how difficult it has been for people to be cut off from their friends and family throughout the past few months. ‘Support bubbles’ are to assist the loneliest and most isolated in society. They were introduced to provide extra support to some of those most impacted by the difficult effects of the social restrictions, while ensuring we continue to keep the rate of transmission low. The policy has been targeted at single-adult households.</p><p>People should socially distance from those not in their household or support bubble in order to keep people around them safe, limit the risk of the transmission of the virus and limit chains of transmission. We recognise that it may not always be possible or practicable to maintain social distancing when providing care to a young child or infant. People should still limit close contact as much as possible when providing childcare and take other precautions such as washing hands and clothes regularly.</p><p>This is guidance is continually under review. Guidance on meeting people from outside of your household has been published and can be accessed at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-people-from-outside-your-household" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-people-from-outside-your-household</a></p> answering member constituency Mid Bedfordshire answering member printed Ms Nadine Dorries question first answered 12/10/2020 13:48:58 answering member 1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries
tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery

1228973

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to provide a financial support package for (a) childminders, (b) nurseries and (c) other Early Years Foundation Stage childcare providers when they re-open during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Enfield North
tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
uin	82576
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2020 answer text <p>Nurseries, childminders and pre-schools, who have provided crucial support throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, are now more vital than ever as hard-working families begin returning to work.</p><p>We want to provide security to nurseries and childminders who are open for the children who need them. That is why on 20 July we announced that we will continue to fund childcare at the same level as before the COVID-19 outbreak, until the end of the year. This will give nurseries and childminders another term of secure income, regardless of whether fewer children are attending. Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, early years settings will continue to benefit from a planned £3.6 billion funding in 2020-21 to create free early education and childcare places for children.</p><p>In addition to this, the government has provided a package of support for individuals and businesses which are directly benefitting providers of childcare. This includes business rates relief and grants, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, the Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the furlough scheme to retain staff, up to the proportion of their salary bill that would be considered as paid from public funding. More details are available here:<br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 08/09/2020 14:48:59 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1226017

registered interest
date	17/07/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the findings of the Women’s Budget Group report, A Care-Led Recovery from Coronavirus, published on 30 June 2020, what steps he plans to take to increase investment in the (a) child and (b) social care sectors to create more jobs in each of those sectors.
tabling member constituency	Bristol South
tabling member printed	Karin Smyth
uin	76060
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2020 answer text <p>We are planning to spend more than £3.6 billion on early education entitlements in 2020-21. During the COVID-19 outbreak, government has continued to pay early years entitlements funding to councils in the usual way. The childcare sector has also been able to access a wider package of government support in the form of a business rates holiday, business interruption loans and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. We will also establish a new £1 billion fund from 2021 to create more high-quality wraparound and holiday childcare places for school-age children.</p><p>Councils have been given access to an additional £1.5 billion for adults and children’s social care in 2020-21 on top of maintaining £2.5 billion of existing social care grants. This will support local authorities to meet rising demand and continue to stabilise the social care system.</p><p>We recognise that the COVID-19 outbreak is imposing significant pressures on the social care sector. We have now made £3.7 billion available to local authorities so they can address pressures on local services caused by the pandemic, including in social care.</p><p>There will be a spending review in the autumn, where government will agree their overall priorities for the coming years and will take the opportunity to examine the overall funding.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 27/07/2020 14:37:18 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4444 label Biography information for Karin Smyth

1219818

registered interest
date	01/07/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether childcare vouchers can be used for online service providers if they meet the criteria of developing skills in children and giving parents time to be able to do their own work.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	67800
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2020 answer text <p>Childcare vouchers can only be used for eligible childcare that meets the definition of “care” in section 318B(1) of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.</p><p> </p><p>Eligible care requires an element of supervised activity, where the provider has some control over the environment and can provide care for the child in the event of an emergency, thereby meeting health and safety requirements. Online service providers do not meet these conditions.</p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Steve Barclay question first answered 06/07/2020 14:54:30 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson