Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to review funding levels for early years childcare providers in Hove.

The Government funds local authorities to deliver the early education entitlements. Last October we announced increases in hourly rates paid to local authorities for those entitlements for 2020-21.

In 2020-21, all local authorities will see an increase of 8p an hour to the hourly funding rates for the 2-year-old entitlement and an increase of 8p an hour for the vast majority of areas for the 3- and 4-year-old entitlement (including the Brighton and Hove local authority).

Details of rates paid to local authorities can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-funding-2020-2021

The Government is planning to spend more than £3.6 billion in 2020-21 to support these entitlements. Funding in 2021-22 and beyond will be determined at the next Spending Review.

The Department continues to monitor the market closely through a range of research projects which provide insight into various aspects of the childcare and provider market.