Catherine McKinnell, Chair of the Petitions Committee and Member of Parliament for Newcastle North, challenged the Prime Minister on the Government’s plans to address the ‘crisis’ in the childcare system at the Liaison Committee. 

Opening her questioning, the Newcastle North MP asked: “Prime Minister, the childcare system is in crisis, would you agree?”, before going on to highlight how reforms announced in this month’s Budget have caused concern amongst parents and Early Years professionals, with many warning that the sector could crash as a result of inadequate Government funding and a paucity of childcare workers.

Following the Prime Minister’s rejection of the label “crisis”, Catherine pointed out that “parents currently spending 30% of their household income, often more than their mortgage on childcare, would say it currently is in crisis.” Catherine also drew attention to the slow rollout of the entitlement, asking: “why will someone with a 2-year-old today will not benefit from any additional funding?”

Answering the question, the Prime Minister conceded that “it is clear that we have – relative to other countries – more expensive childcare.”

With an industry expert warning that the policy risks having a “reverse Robin Hood effect” as some of the poorest children in the country barred are from the childcare entitlement because of the Government’s strict eligibility criteria, Catherine observed that “four out of five low-income households are completely locked out of the Government’s provision.”

The Government’s plans make clear that parents seeking to take on full-time education and training will be blocked from the increased support. Catherine demanded the Prime Minister set out why so many children have been excluded from the provision, asking: “can you explain how that is going to help increase the workforce?”

In response, the Prime Minister said: “That’s right because this is a policy to get people into work.”

Following the exchange, Catherine commented: 

“The Prime Minister simply does not grasp the fact that these reforms could have a seriously damaging impact on the childcare sector. Rather than helping parents and providers, the inadequate funding announced by the Chancellor – alongside the absence of any sufficient plan to increase the number of childcare professionals – risks pushing an already creaky system towards collapse. 

The extension of free childcare provision would be welcome if it were properly available and accessible. But as well as doubts over how many childcare places will be available, many of the poorest children in our society, the children most in need of quality childcare spaces, won’t have access. The Prime Minister must listen to the parents and providers who are telling him what he refuses to hear: these plans are not enough.”