Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the feasibility of raising the earnings threshold for eligibility for tax free childcare in Northern Ireland in the context of the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive preventing implementation of Government measures on childcare announced in Spring 2023.

Childcare is a devolved policy in Northern Ireland and the absence of a functioning Executive in Northern Ireland is exacerbating the challenges faced by families with regards to childcare and a wide range of other policy areas.

That is why this Government is doing all it can to engage with the party leaders to support a return to stable government so that these important issues can be addressed by those elected to do so.