Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2017 to Question 110302, on children: day care, whether her Department has appointed a contractor to evaluate the provision of 30 hours' free childcare during the first two terms of the national roll-out.

We are in the process of commissioning an independent evaluation study in a number of local councils across England to assess the implementation and impact of the 30 hours’ free childcare policy in the first year of national rollout. We have not yet appointed a contractor to undertake this work.