Childcare Ratios

Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton Excerpts

Thursday 9th May 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

As the noble Baroness says, we are considering the consultation. We are motivated entirely by better quality childcare and we believe that our proposals will deliver that.

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton]

My Lords, there is a fear in the country now that the Government know the price of everything and the value of nothing, despite the response from professionals to government proposals. They ignored the view of the police about police officers being more important than the money spent on police and crime commissioners, as well as the views of other professionals, for example on the curriculum and history teaching, and even the health service, which the coalition government manifesto promised would not be reorganised top-down. When will this Government please start to listen to those who know more than they do as a result of their professional training?

[Lord Nash]

My Lords, we have the tightest ratios in Europe for under-threes. Other countries manage better childcare more efficiently. Our childcare is very expensive and we are motivated to deliver better-quality childcare and more choice for parents. These ratios will not be mandatory; they will be in childcare facilities only where suitably qualified staff are located and parents may choose whether to send their children to those facilities.