Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the DFE Government Major Projects Portfolio Data March 2024, published on 16 January, what assessment they have made of the expected monetised benefits of the Early Years Childcare Reform Programme, given its reported whole life cost of £15.1 billion; why these benefits are currently recorded as "£0 million"; and by what date they expect to finalise and publish a full benefits realisation plan.

The data published on 16 January 2025 reflects the status and delivery stage of the early years and childcare programme, as of 31 March 2024. Since then, central estimates for the financial benefits of extending early years education and childcare entitlements were published in April 2024 by the National Audit Office. These estimates indicate, as of March 2024, a benefit-to-cost ratio of £1.26:£1.00, and a total benefit of £15.972 billion.

The Office for Budget Responsibility also estimated that 60,000 additional parents will enter work, and 1.5 million will increase their working hours by 2027/28 as a result of the policy.

As expected of all Major Projects that form part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio, we will continue to provide regular data to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority on the progress of programme delivery. Now the programme is in live delivery, we will continue to monitor how these estimated benefits develop throughout the programme lifecycle and at the appropriate points provide an update on our position, reflecting the latest delivery data.