Clwyd West MS Darren Millar has called on the Welsh Government to support working parents by providing the same free childcare offer to working parents in Wales as is available in England.

Calling for a statement on the Welsh Government's childcare offer in yesterday’s Business Statement, Darren said he has been contacted by parents in Conwy and Denbighshire who are unhappy about the lack of support for working parents in Wales.

Darren highlighted the support being provided to parents in England, and with the Welsh Government receiving funding to provide a comparable free childcare offer in Wales, asked why this is not being done.

He said:    

“I've been contacted by a number of concerned constituents in my constituency who are expressing with dismay the lack of support with childcare costs that they are eligible for compared to their friends and family over the border in England.

“But you do seem to be able to provide free childcare in Flying Start areas to people who can afford to pay for their children's own childcare, which seems absolutely ludicrous. 

“The Welsh Government is getting the money to be able to offer a comparable free childcare offer to working parents in Wales. Why aren't you giving parents here that level playing field and making more support available?”

In her response, the Trefnydd, Jane Hutt MS, said

“We are very proud of our childcare offer here in Wales, the best childcare offer in the UK.”

Speaking afterwards, Darren said:

“The parents I have spoken to would most certainly disagree with the Minister.

“Having to pay significant childcare costs is putting a huge strain on their household budgets. It is ludicrous and unfair that they are missing out on this support when the UK Government has made funding available to roll out extra support with childcare costs here in Wales.”