Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Jonathan Ashworth and Jamie Reed(10 years, 5 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Jonathan Ashworth (Leicester South) (Lab)
3. What steps she is taking to make child care more affordable and improve the flexibility of child care provision.
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland) (Lab)
13. What steps she is taking to make child care more affordable and improve the flexibility of child care provision.
The Secretary of State for Education (Nicky Morgan)
One of the greatest achievements of my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), was to put in place real reforms that ensure that all our young people—from the earliest age—have the opportunities to succeed. It is a privilege to follow him in this role.
We are the first Government to fund 15 hours a week of free child care for all three-year-olds and four-year-olds, and for disadvantaged two-year-olds. We have also taken action to give more choice to parents, including by creating childminder agencies and by supporting schools to open nurseries and offer 8 am to 6 pm provision.