Education Secretary Gillian Keegan tells LBC she is ‘very, very confident’ of 15 hours of free childcare by April
5 February 2024, 10:22 | Updated: 5 February 2024, 10:27
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan told LBC this morning that she is ‘very, very confident’ of 15 hours of free childcare by April.
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Speaking with Nick Ferrari as part of Call the Cabinet, the Conservative MP for Chichester said she's "very, very confident" that the new scheme will go ahead, adding: "The only reason I said I can’t guarantee, is just semantics on words".
She added that the "slower rollout" of the scheme nationwide was simply to "ensure deliverability".
Responding to one caller's question on whether she, as a mother, could make plans as though the expansion was all but confirmed, Keegan said: "Parents of 2-year-olds able to access free childcare from April, with working parents of all children allowed access to the funding from September 2024.
"I’m very confident," she reiterated, adding: "I’ve made sure we’ve put the capital in place so they can expand the places. I’ve put additional funding in place."
It comes as working parents are poised to benefit from additional childcare funding where children over the ago of nine months are concerned.
Nick pushes the Education Secretary on the 'promised' expansion of free childcare
"There’s a small amount of local authorities that haven’t yet confirmed them, which is causing a few people in the system to say ‘I don’t know the rates yet," said Keegan.
Adding: “But we’re on the case with those local authorities that haven’t yet confirmed them.. or put indicative rates if you can.
"It’s only because factually, I can’t guarantee it. But I’m very very confident."
Pushed by Nick on comments made yesterday during a televised interview where she said “I’m not in control of all the bits”, Keegan noted: “with every programme in government, if I’m being truthful, you don’t guarantee anything”.
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"We’ve included a slower rollout so we can ensure deliverability - we do have to grow the workforce, particularly in the latter half of the programme," explained Keegan.
“Im not running a nursery - but I’m making sure the nurseries are funded”
Keegan's comments coincide with the start of National Apprenticeship Week, with the MP explaining that a maths teacher apprenticeship will be the latest addition to the current range of apprenticeships programme.
Highlighting that 70% of jobs in England fall under some sort of apprenticeship programme, Keegan described maths as "one of the hardest areas to recruit".
