Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will extend the free childcare entitlement to the equivalent of 30 hours a week for 52 weeks of the year.

The Department plans to spend around £3.5 billion on early education entitlements this year alone. Government funding is intended to deliver 570 or 1140 hours a year, over no fewer than 38 weeks of the year of free, high quality, flexible childcare for eligible 2, 3 and 4 year olds. This equates to 15 or 30 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year to mirror school terms.

All the free entitlements can be “stretched” by taking fewer hours per week over up to 52 weeks of the year to cover term-time and the school holidays and free places can also be delivered at weekends (for example, 23 hours a week for 48 weeks of the year). These entitlements will allow providers to respond flexibly to parents’ individual needs and requirements so that parents are supported to work.