Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government remain committed to extending free childcare support for three and four-year-olds to 50 hours per week.

All parents of three and four year olds are eligible for 15 hours of free early education over 38 weeks of the year. An additional 15 hours free childcare, also known as 30 hours free childcare, is available for working parents who earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at national minimum/living wage and under £100,000 adjusted net income per year. In a two-parent family both parents must meet these thresholds, unless one partner receives certain benefits. In a single-parent household the single parent must meet these income thresholds.

The department has never made a commitment to extend free childcare to 50 hours a week. We are, however, looking into options to improve the cost, flexibility and availability of childcare.