Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) nurseries and (b) childminders that closed in the East of England in the 2022-23 financial year; and how many childcare places became unavailable as a result of those closures.

This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.