Asked by: Lord Pack (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 23 September 2025 (HL10215), what further progress they have made in developing new registration fee arrangements for early years providers.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government has consulted on new Early Years Register fee arrangements through the early years funding consultation, published on 6 July 2026 and which closed on 14 September 2026. The consultation sets out proposed reforms to the early years entitlements funding system, including proposals intended to simplify funding arrangements, improve access for families on low incomes, improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and make funding more efficient and transparent.
As part of the consultation, we are proposing to reduce or remove individual annual Ofsted fees, which could simplify the system and reduce direct cost pressures on providers, supporting provider sustainability.
All interested parties, including local authorities, early years providers, parents and carers, were encouraged to take part and share their views before the 14 September closing date.
Asked by: Lord Pack (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Department for Education has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In the past year, we have committed in Parliament to undertake the required post-legislative scrutiny of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This will include considering the coming into force of measures, where not yet commenced.
The department will, as part of its usual process, continue to periodically review legislation within its area of responsibility as part of policy development.
Asked by: Lord Pack (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in developing new registration fee arrangements for early years providers.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department is reviewing our Early Years Register fees policy. As set out in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Childcare (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, which came into force on 9 June 2025, the department has extended the existing alternative annual fee arrangements until 1 September 2027 as a temporary measure to maintain the status quo while the fees policy is being reviewed and considered as a whole.