Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of whether spending proposals from government departments could be delivered by the private sector.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Departments are responsible for setting out and considering different delivery mechanisms as part of the Business Case process, in line with the appraisal methodology set out in the Green Book.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much of the spending on the Early Learning for 2 year olds scheme is accounted for by (a) families entitled via eligibility for certain benefits (b) families entitled because the child has an Education, Health and Care Plan, and (c) families who meet both criteria.

Answered by Olivia Bailey

The latest dedicated schools grant allocations for the early years entitlements over the past five years can be found here: https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/.

The 3 and 4-year-old working parent entitlement, the 2-year-old working parent entitlement, and the under 2s working parent entitlement are only available to working parents who meet the eligibility criteria. For the universal 3 and 4-year-old entitlement and the early learning for 2-year-olds entitlement, the government has never collected data on whether or not parents who claim these entitlements are in work.

The latest January 2026 statistics relating to funded early education and childcare were published on 2 July 2026 here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/funded-early-education-and-childcare/2026.

These statistics contain headcount level figures on the number of children registered for early-learning for 2-year-olds by basis for funding as well as figures on the number of children registered for the various entitlement types.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the level of spending was on the 15 hours free childcare offer in each of the last five financial years for which data is available, broken down by a. working and b. non-working parents.

Answered by Olivia Bailey

The latest dedicated schools grant allocations for the early years entitlements over the past five years can be found here: https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/.

The 3 and 4-year-old working parent entitlement, the 2-year-old working parent entitlement, and the under 2s working parent entitlement are only available to working parents who meet the eligibility criteria. For the universal 3 and 4-year-old entitlement and the early learning for 2-year-olds entitlement, the government has never collected data on whether or not parents who claim these entitlements are in work.

The latest January 2026 statistics relating to funded early education and childcare were published on 2 July 2026 here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/funded-early-education-and-childcare/2026.

These statistics contain headcount level figures on the number of children registered for early-learning for 2-year-olds by basis for funding as well as figures on the number of children registered for the various entitlement types.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much was spent on the Early Learning for 2 year olds scheme in each of the last five financial years for which data is available.

Answered by Olivia Bailey

The latest dedicated schools grant allocations for the early years entitlements over the past five years can be found here: https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/.

The 3 and 4-year-old working parent entitlement, the 2-year-old working parent entitlement, and the under 2s working parent entitlement are only available to working parents who meet the eligibility criteria. For the universal 3 and 4-year-old entitlement and the early learning for 2-year-olds entitlement, the government has never collected data on whether or not parents who claim these entitlements are in work.

The latest January 2026 statistics relating to funded early education and childcare were published on 2 July 2026 here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/funded-early-education-and-childcare/2026.

These statistics contain headcount level figures on the number of children registered for early-learning for 2-year-olds by basis for funding as well as figures on the number of children registered for the various entitlement types.

Found: 29,000 Emma Reynolds MP from 9 July 2024128 Left 15 January 2025 – – – – – – – – – – Rt Hon Mel Stride

Found: 29,000 Emma Reynolds MP from 9 July 2024128 Left 15 January 2025 – – – – – – – – – – Rt Hon Mel Stride

Found: delay in RSA process due to the Covid Pandemic. 29/07/2020 MP to EA - Email Letter from MP (Mel Stride

Found: for the blind for a GCSE project • Delegation from Papua New Guinea • A visit by our local MP Mel Stride