Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is her policy that families with parents in full-time further education will be eligible for 30 hours a week free childcare under the Government's new childcare proposals.

The additional hours will be available to families where both parents are working, or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family. Further information on the detail of which parents will qualify will be announced in due course.

Parents who are in full time education are already able to access help with the costs of childcare. Full-time higher education students with children can apply for a Childcare Grant of:

• up to £150.23 a week for 1 child;

• up to £257.55 a week for 2 or more children.

The grant helps with childcare costs for children under-15, or under-17 if they have special educational needs.

Parents must be eligible for student finance to apply for a Childcare Grant. More information on the Childcare Grant can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/childcare-grant/overview