Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many free schools offer nursery provision that delivers 15 hours free childcare.

Local authorities receive funding for early years places through the Dedicated Schools Grant and are responsible for deciding how best to distribute this funding. They are required to fund all early years providers, including free schools with nursery provision, who meet the quality requirements set out in statutory guidance. The department does not keep a central list of the early years providers that are funded by local authorities.