Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Tracy Brabin Excerpts
Monday 9th September 2019

(4 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gavin Williamson Portrait Gavin Williamson
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I promise my right hon. Friend that we will bring plenty of vim and vigour to this, and I will be looking at it closely.

Tracy Brabin Portrait Tracy Brabin (Batley and Spen) (Lab/Co-op)
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At long last, after years of calls from the Labour party, settings, academics and even Select Committees, last week the Government finally offered some new funding for the 30-hour childcare policy. Sadly, predictions say it is only 10% of what is required to plug the funding black hole.

May I push the new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education, whom I very much welcome to her place, on how this funding will be spent? Will it be targeted to support outstanding providers that are struggling, to increase the amount of high-quality provision in disadvantaged areas and to reverse the disturbing trend of experienced staff leaving the sector?

Kemi Badenoch Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Mrs Kemi Badenoch)
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Members on both sides of the House care very much about this area. The Government continue to support families with their childcare costs, and we are now spending more than £3.6 billion on support to 2021.