Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will set a publication date for the Early Years Workforce strategy.

We want to continue to attract and retain good quality staff to deliver good quality early years provision and the Government has committed to developing a workforce strategy to help employers to do this.

We are currently consulting on the English and mathematics knowledge, skills and qualification requirements for level 3 early years educator staff. We want the workforce strategy to reflect the government response to this consultation which closes on 28^th November. We have already received a high volume of replies and it will take time to analyse and consider those responses.

Development of the early years workforce strategy is a priority and we will publish as soon as possible.