Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Claire Coutinho and Sara Britcliffe

Tuesday 16th April 2024 Commons Chamber

[Claire Coutinho]

I direct the hon. Gentleman to the letter of my right hon. Friend the Member for Beverley and Holderness (Graham Stuart). I reiterate our pride in his work and the amazing contribution he has made to this Government and this country.

[Sara Britcliffe (Hyndburn) (Con)]

Clayton-le-Moors in my constituency is home to the Lancashire centre for alternative technologies, initiated by the Government’s getting building fund. Will the Minister agree to visit to see how the centre is providing financial and research and development support to accelerate the commercialisation of low-carbon technologies?

Childcare Reform Package

Debate between Claire Coutinho and Sara Britcliffe

Wednesday 28th June 2023 Commons Chamber

[Claire Coutinho]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for taking to me to Bright Horizons in Didcot, which was a useful visit. Local authorities have different rates. We will set out funding rates before the summer, and will consult on them. We take different costs across the country into account, but he makes an interesting point.

[Sara Britcliffe (Hyndburn) (Con)]

I warmly welcome the Minister’s announcement and thank her for all the work that she has done for childcare providers. I was going to raise the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Winchester (Steve Brine) about business rates. Will the Minister explain what help she is giving to local authorities to help providers deliver the expanded childcare offer to parents?

[Claire Coutinho]

At the moment, the way the policy works is that providers have to pass on at least 95%, and can keep 5%, of the funding rates that they are given. Most pass on more—from our returns, most pass on 97%—but they can use the additional money for the administration of payments and such.