Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many allegations of sexual abuse, sexual assault or other sexual offences in registered early years settings have been reported to Ofsted in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) sex of the alleged perpetrator, (b) type of early years provider and (c) outcome of the notification.

The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority, and the department continually monitors and reviews safeguarding requirements within early years settings to ensure children are kept as safe as possible.

We set the standards that early years providers must meet through the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework. Ofsted is responsible for the registration and inspection of early years providers and for collecting and holding information relating to notifications made by providers.

This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member for Reigate directly, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.