Oral Answers to Questions

Gagan Mohindra Excerpts

Monday 17th July 2023 Commons Chamber

[Samantha Dixon (City of Chester) (Lab)]

6. What steps she is taking to help ensure the availability of high-quality childcare.

[Mr Gagan Mohindra (South West Hertfordshire) (Con)]

7. What steps her Department is taking to increase the number of childcare places.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Claire Coutinho)]

At the spring statement, we announced the single largest investment in childcare in England ever. By 2027, the Government will be spending in excess of £8 billion, doubling the amount that we do now and helping working families with their childcare costs.

[Claire Coutinho]

As I have mentioned, we are putting the single largest ever investment into childcare over the next few years, to provide funding to settings such as the one she mentioned. We are also looking at things such as workforce, which we know can be a challenge, making sure that we remove barriers to additional routes to entry.

[Mr Mohindra]

South West Hertfordshire is home to lots of young couples, particularly those who have moved out of London to start their families. Could the Minister tell the House how her Department is supporting new parents as they return to work?

[Claire Coutinho]

That is a huge priority for this Government. The funding that we are setting out will provide parents with support worth, on average, £6,500 a year from maternity leave right up to primary school. We are doing additional work to support things such as wraparound care.