This Lords Library briefing provides information about the work of the House of Lords Affordable Childcare Committee; its conclusions and recommendations; the government’s response; and gives an update on developments since the government response to the Committee’s report.
House of Lords Affordable Childcare Committee (336 KB , PDF)
On 12 June 2014, the House of Lords Affordable Childcare Committee was appointed to consider issues relating to affordable childcare, and to make recommendations. The Committee looked in depth at a range of issues, including government funding for childcare. At the time of the Committee’s report, the Coalition Government was investing £5.2 billion annually in early education and childcare. That figure was set to rise to £6.4 billion in the 2015–20 Parliament and, to date, the current Conservative Government has maintained this commitment. The stated aims of this investment in childcare were, and broadly remain: to promote child development for all children; to narrow the gap in attainment between the most disadvantaged children and their “better off” peers; and to enable parents to work.The Committee’s report investigated whether value for money was being delivered by childcare policy when assessed against these aims and focused on 0 to five year-olds. It also considered the impact of childcare costs on parental employment rates and work choices.
The Committee published its report on 24 February 2015, prior to the 2015 general election. In a summary of its findings, the Committee urged “three main actions the new Government must take in order to get the best value for its investment”. These were to:
Childcare policy is a devolved matter in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the report findings therefore concerned England only. Due to the breadth and complexity of childcare issues touched upon in the Committee report, this Lords Library briefing addresses only a selection of them. It looks in particular at: the Government’s childcare policy strands; the early years pupil premium (implemented in April 2015 for disadvantaged three and four years-olds); the free early education entitlement (for all three and four year-olds and for some disadvantaged two years-olds) and the additional 15 hour free entitlement of childcare, announced in 2016. The briefing focuses mainly on issues raised surrounding the funding and quality of provision. It does not provide detailed information on the provisions of Universal Credit (which the childcare element of working tax credits is transitioning to), or on the new tax free childcare scheme to be rolled-out in 2017, or on provisions specifically targeted towards those with disabilities.
House of Lords Affordable Childcare Committee (336 KB , PDF)
The Regulated and Other Activities (Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench). It received its first reading on 29 July 2024 and is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 17 January 2025.
![Regulated and Other Activities (Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 9 of 2024–25](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Crime-568x426.png)
The number of young people with special educational needs and disabilities has increased in recent years, prompting concerns about quality of SEND provision and the impact on local authority finances. A report by the National Audit Office in October 2024 concluded that, without reform, the costs of the SEND system were unsustainable. In the 2024 autumn budget, the Labour government announced an increase in education spending of £11.2bn from 2023/24 levels by 2025/26, with £1bn earmarked for SEND funding.
Academic research suggests that mobile phones in schools can adversely affect pupils’ educational attainment and contribute to problems such as bullying. But some experts point to potential learning benefits and argue that a blanket ban on phones could prove ineffective and counterproductive. Government guidance discourages the use of phones in schools but defers to school leaders on prohibiting their use. Most schools in England already have policies limiting the use of phones.
