Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has taken account of the potential change to parents' working hours resulting from the commencement of provision of 30 hours free childcare from September 2017 on the number of childcare places to be made available; and if she will make a statement.

Local authorities continue to have a duty to secure sufficient childcare for working parents in their local areas. The Department is committed to working with local authorities to ensure sufficient places, which is why we awarded a delivery contract to Childcare Works, who continue to provide ongoing support and challenge to local authorities and providers delivering 30 hours.

The Department has also supported the growth and creation of additional places to deliver the 30 hours funded entitlement and in 2016, ran a £100 million early years capital bid round, which will create almost 18,000 additional 30 hours places for working parents.

We know that thousands of eligible children are taking up 30 hours places in our 12 early delivery areas and that parents have extended their working hours as a result of accessing the offer.