Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of further fiscal steps to support nurseries during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government has announced unprecedented support for businesses, including the early years sector, to protect against the current economic emergency. This economic response is one of the most generous and comprehensive globally. For childcare providers, this includes business rates relief for nurseries, a range of loans and grants, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and continued early years entitlement funding. The government is monitoring the impact these measures are having and keeps all policies under review.

The Department for Education has already published guidance for the early years sector on the eligibility criteria for this support, including the interaction between early years entitlements funding and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care#sector-specific-guidance.