Educational Settings Debate

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Department: Department for Education
Wednesday 18th March 2020

(4 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gavin Williamson Portrait Gavin Williamson
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I absolutely assure my hon. Friend that that will be the case. That is why we are bringing forward the Bill.

Kate Green Portrait Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab)
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I apologise to the Secretary of State if I have missed something or not caught everything he has said about early years settings. Is he saying that childminders, nurseries, both private and statutory, and all other early years provision, are advised or instructed to close, or is he saying that some should remain open? If they close, can he guarantee that all staff will continue to receive full pay, irrespective of the nature of the setting?

Gavin Williamson Portrait Gavin Williamson
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It does apply across the board. We have already written to early years settings to inform them that the funding that we have been providing for them will continue, regardless of changes in the number of children attending those settings, which gives them some stability in terms of future funding.