Welfare Reform and Work Bill (First sitting) Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Work and Pensions
Helen Whately
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Welfare Reform and Work Bill (First sitting)
Helen Whately Excerpts(9 years, 2 months ago)
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The Chair
Helen Whately (Faversham and Mid Kent) (Con)
My question has, in fact, just been answered.
Emily Thornberry
Q 32 On the 30 hours a week that we know the Government are going to be offering, is there a guarantee that they will pay for the 30 hours a week that people may want? In some areas, the cost of childcare is much higher—in my borough, for example, it is 30% higher than the London average. Will there be a shortfall between the amount the Government are prepared to pay for the childcare and the amount it will actually cost?
Neera Sharma: That is very likely. The Pre-school Learning Alliance has said that, on average, the cost of childcare is £4.53 an hour; the Government contributes, on average, £3.88. When the childcare offer is doubled, nurseries could operate at a loss of £661 per child per year, so there are going to be quite significant issues for providers.