Business of the House

Tim Loughton Excerpts

Thursday 12th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

I do not think the hon. Gentleman is ever happy, so there is no pleasing some people. However, I would point out that over £600 million extra is going to the Welsh Government’s budget—the biggest day- to-day funding settlement for the Welsh Government in a decade—and there will also be the concomitant Barnett consequentials from yesterday’s Budget statement. So it is simply not accurate to say that Wales is not receiving extra funding.

[Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)]

I refer the House to my entry in the register. There were some very welcome moves on coronavirus in the Budget yesterday, and some very practical advice from the NHS. I understand the need to keep schools open if the risk is low to children, so as to keep workers in important work positions, but the same applies to nursery schools and other forms of childcare, which do not appear to have been covered in the Budget yesterday, or in advice. I have had a letter from a constituent with a nursery today saying that

“Morton Michel, one of the biggest childcare insurers in the UK”

is

“refusing to add Covid-19 to its list of insurable diseases”,

which could result in many childcare places going bust. Could we have guidance, and a statement from the Treasury and from the Department for Education, specifically for childcare providers, and also for children in care?

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

My hon. Friend raises a significant subject. I will take it up and get a reply to him as to what action the Government are taking on the matter.