Public Bill Committees
Childcare Bill

• Childcare Bill, 1st sitting (8 speeches)
  [Mr. David Amess in the Chair]
  • Clause 1 - General functions of local authority: England (103 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 64, in clause 1, page 1, line 7, leave out ‘reduce inequalities between’ and insert ‘raise the quality of outcomes of the most disadvantaged.’.
• Childcare Bill, 2nd sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. Joe Benton in the Chair]
  • Clause 1 - General functions of local authority: England (29 speeches)
    Amendment proposed [this day]: No. 176, in clause 1, page 1, leave out line 16 and insert— ‘(3)The Secretary of State may require a local authority to work with relevant partners in...
  • Clause 2 - Meaning of “early childhood services” for purposes of section 3 (28 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 68, in clause 2, page 2, line 15, after ‘services’, insert ‘or children’s services’.
  • Clause 3 - Specific duties of local authority in relation to early childhood services (10 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 71, in clause 3, page 2, line 39, after ‘services’, insert ‘as widely as possible’.
• Childcare Bill, 3rd sitting (1 speech)
  [Mr. David Amess in the Chair]
  • Clause 3 - Specific duties of local authority in relation to early childhood services (20 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 72, in page 3, line 9, after ‘persons’, insert ‘and voluntary and professional bodies’.
  • Clause 4 - Duty of local authority and relevant partners to work together (2 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 130, in clause 4, page 3, line 36, leave out ‘are’ and insert ‘may be’. It is a pleasure, Mr. Amess, to serve on the Committee with you in the...
  • Clause 5 - Power to amend sections 2 and 4 (11 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 6 - Duty to secure sufficient childcare for working parents (34 speeches)
    A large number of amendments have been tabled, so there will not be an opportunity for a stand part debate. Hon. Members should bear that in mind and make their points as we discuss the amendments.
• Childcare Bill, 4th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. Joe Benton in the Chair]
  • Clause 6 - Duty to secure sufficient childcare for working parents (84 speeches)
    Amendment moved [this day]: No. 279, in clause 6, page 4, line 7, after ‘must’, insert ‘using all appropriate resources.’.—[Tim Loughton.]
• Childcare Bill, 5th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. Joe Benton in the Chair]
  • Clause 7 - Duty to secure prescribed early years provision free of charge (11 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 7, in page 5, line 8, at end insert ‘, such guidance to be placed in the Library of the House of Commons and its existence noted by way of Written Ministerial...
  • Clause 8 - Powers of local authority in relation to the provision of childcare (72 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 104, in page 5, line 14, at end insert— ‘(1A)Assistance under subsection (1) (a) shall only be forthcoming if the authority has taken into consideration...
  • Clause 9 - Arrangements between local authority and childcare providers (2 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 11 - Duty to assess childcare provision (9 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 11, in page 6, line 13, at end insert ‘, which should have regard to the demands and needs of families as set out in section 6.’.
• Childcare Bill, 6th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. David Amess in the Chair]
  • Clause 11 - Duty to assess childcare provision (11 speeches)
    Amendment moved [this day]: No. 11, in page 6, line 13, at end insert ‘, which should have regard to the demands and needs of families as set out in section 6.’.—[Mr. Gibb.]
  • [Mr. Joe Benton in the Chair] (11 speeches)
    What the Minister is saying is interesting. She is clarifying matters very well, but Ofsted is an inspection organisation. Many schools languish in special measures for more than a year, and...
  • Clause 12 - Duty to provide information, advice and assistance (11 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 108, in page 6, line 40, after ‘provision’, insert ‘, affordability, sustainability and quality’.
  • [Mr. David Amess in the Chair.] (1 speech)
    We have had a useful discussion. I take on board the Under-Secretary’s point in response to amendment No. 108, but I think affordability need not be a purely relative term. It should...
  • Clause 13 - Duty to provide information, advice and training to childcare providers (14 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 131, in page 7, line 30, leave out ‘register’ and insert ‘be registered’.
  • Clause 14 - Inspection (5 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 136, in page 8, line 9, after ‘by’, insert ‘or under’.
  • Clause 17 - Charges for early years provision at maintained school (2 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 18 - Meaning of childcare (8 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 111, in page 9, line 25, leave out from ‘child’ to end of line 28.
  • Clause 19 - Meaning of “young child” (11 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 241, in page 10, line 21, at beginning insert ‘(1)’.
  • Clause 22 - Duty to secure sufficient childcare for working parents (6 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 294, in page 11, line 20, at end insert— ‘(iv)the particular needs of childcare in rural areas.’. Part 2 relates to Wales. I have tabled the...
  • Clause 27 - Duty to provide information, advice and assistance (5 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 303, in page 13, line 4, after ‘section’, insert ‘, in a form which is fully compliant with the Welsh Language Acts 1967 and 1993’.
  • Clause 28 - Inspection (0 speeches)
    Amendment made: No. 137, in page 13, line 37, after ‘by’, insert ‘or under’.—[Beverley Hughes.]
  • New Clause 12 - Repayment of financial assistance: right of appeal (4 speeches)
    ‘(1)A person required to repay the whole or part of any financial assistance provided by a local authority under section 24 may appeal against the decision. (2)An appeal made under section...
  • Clause 31 - General functions of the Chief Inspector (3 speeches)
    Amendments made: No. 138, in page 15, line 8, leave out ‘register’ and insert ‘be registered’. No. 139, in page 15, line 9, leave out ‘register’ and insert...
  • Clause 32 - Maintenance of the two childcare registers (2 speeches)
    Amendment made: No. 140, in page 15, line 39, leave out ‘register’ and insert ‘be registered’.—[Beverley Hughes.]
  • Clause 33 - Requirement to register: early years childminders (5 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 121, in page 16, line 7, leave out subsection (2).
• Childcare Bill, 7th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. Joe Benton in the Chair]
  • Clause 35 - Applications for registration: early years childminders (10 speeches)
    Amendment made: No. 141, in page 17, line 27, leave out ‘register’ and insert ‘be registered’.—[Maria Eagle.]
  • Clause 36 - Applications for registration: other early years providers (0 speeches)
    Amendment made: No. 142, in page 18, line 7, leave out ‘register’ and insert ‘be registered’.—[Beverley Hughes.]
  • Clause 38 - Conditions on registration (7 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 24, in page 19, line 8, after ‘he’, insert ‘reasonably’.
  • Clause 41 - The learning and development requirements (39 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 221, in page 20, line 16, leave out from ‘which’ to ‘, and’ in line 17 and insert ‘young children should experience, appropriate to their...
• Childcare Bill, 8th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. David Amess in the Chair]
  • Clause 41 - The learning and development requirements (20 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 114, in clause 41, page 20, line 19, after ‘children’, insert ‘, appropriately’. Welcome back to the Chair, Mr. Amess. There are two amendments...
  • Clause 45 - Power to enable exemptions to be conferred (5 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 233, in page 22, leave out line 25.
  • Schedule 1 - Amendments relating to the curriculum (3 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 153, in page 53, line 9, leave out ‘“maintained nursery school” ’.
  • Clause 48 - Inspections (18 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 27, in page 23, line 18, after ‘prescribed’, insert ‘, but which should not be less than 3 years,’.
  • Clause 49 - Report of inspections (14 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 57, in page 24, line 8, after ‘children’, insert ‘and parents’.
  • Clause 51 - Requirement to register: later years childminders for children under eight (6 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 61, in page 25, line 18, leave out ‘it appears’ and insert ‘the evidence demonstrates’.
  • Clause 52 - Requirement to register: other later years providers for children under eight (6 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 63, in page 26, line 5, leave out from ‘made’ to ‘and’ in line 6 and insert ‘or approved by the proprietor of the school’.
  • Clause 53 - Applications for registration: later years childminders (0 speeches)
    Amendment made: No. 143, in page 26, line 27, leave out ‘register’ and insert ‘be registered’.—[Maria Eagle.]
• Childcare Bill, 9th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. David Amess in the Chair]
  • Clause 54 - Applications for registration: other later years providers (3 speeches)
    Amendment made: No. 144, in page 27, line 7, leave out ‘register’ and insert ‘be registered’.—[Beverley Hughes.]
  • Clause 56 - Special procedure for registered early years providers (3 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 145, in page 28, line 18, leave out ‘wishes’ and insert ‘proposes’.
  • Clause 58 - Regulations governing activities (2 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 59 - Inspections (10 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 41, in page 30, line 5, at end insert— ‘(aa) must at such intervals as may be prescribed, but which should not be less than once every three years, inspect...
  • Clause 60 - Report of inspections (7 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 42, in page 30, line 19, leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.
  • Clause 61 - Applications for registration on the general register: childminders (10 speeches)
    Amendment made: No. 146, in clause 61, page 31, line 13, leave out ‘register’ and insert ‘be registered’.—[Beverley Hughes.]
  • Clause 62 - Applications for registration on the general register: childminders (0 speeches)
    Amendments made: No. 147, in page 31, line 37, leave out ‘wishes’ and insert ‘proposes’. No. 148, in page 32, line 1, leave out ‘register’ and insert ‘be...
  • Clause 66 - Regulations governing activities (3 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 54, in page 34, line 37, at end insert— ‘(8)The provisions of section 59 (inspections) and 60 (report on inspections) shall apply to persons registered...
  • Clause 77 - Requirement for consent to entry (1 speech)
    I beg to move amendment No. 149, in page 42, line 35, at end insert— ‘()Subsection (2) does not prevent the imposition under section 38, 57 or 65 of a condition requiring a person...
  • Clause 79 - Information to be included in annual reports (7 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 287, in page 43, line 25, at end insert, ‘ ; and on progress on the professional development of those employed in childcare provision, including qualifications...
  • Clause 82 - General power to make information available (1 speech)
    I beg to move amendment No. 150, in page 44, line 23, at end insert— ‘()Regulations may require the Chief Inspector to provide prescribed information held by him in relation to...
  • New Clause 4 - Procedure for making certain orders specifying learning and development requirements (3 speeches)
    ‘(1)This section applies where the Secretary of State proposes to make an order under section 39(1)(a) specifying early learning goals or educational programmes. (2)The Secretary of State...
  • New Clause 5 - Determination of whether prescribed requirements for registration are satisfied (0 speeches)
    ‘(1)This section applies where the Chief Inspector— (a)is determining, for the purpose of deciding whether to grant an application for registration under Chapter 2, 3 or 4, whether...
  • New Clause 1 - Arrangements for childcare providers to safeguard and promote welfare of young children (7 speeches)
    ‘(1)Each person and body to whom this part applies must make arrangements for ensuring that— (a)their functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the...
  • New Clause 11 - Requirement for providers of children to provide information (3 speeches)
    ‘Any person providing early years childcare shall inform the parents of children in his care of the conditions under which such childcare is provided.’. —[Annette Brooke.]
  • Schedule 2 - Minor and consequential amendments (3 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 155, in page 56, line 5, at end insert— ‘In section 105 of the Children Act 1989 (interpretation) in subsection (5A)(b) omit “England and”.’.
  • Schedule 3 - Repeals (0 speeches)
    Amendments made: No. 170, in page 61, line 16, column 2, leave out ‘ “maintained nursery school” ’. No. 171, in page 62, line 21, column 2, at end insert— ...
  • Clause 98 - Subordinate legislation: parliamentary control (3 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 201, in page 49, line 24, at end insert— ‘(ab)regulations under section 7,’. The amendment would make the regulation-making powers in clause 7...
  • Clause 104 - Short title and extent (7 speeches)
    Amendments made: No. 151, in clause 104, page 51, line 12, at end insert— ‘(1A)Any amendment or repeal made by this Act has the same extent as the provision amended or...