Clause 6 - Duty to secure sufficient childcare for working parents
Childcare Bill
1:30 pm
Joe Benton (Bootle, Labour)
I remind the Committee that with this we are discussing the following: Amendment No.d¤224, in clause 6, page 4, line 7, leave out
‘, so far as is reasonably practicable,’.
Amendment No. 89, in clause 6, page 4, line 8, after ‘of’, insert
‘good quality, accessible and affordable’.
Amendment No. 90, in clause 6, page 4, line 8, after ‘is’, insert ‘, and remains,’.
Amendment No. 76, in clause 6, page 4, line 13, at end insert
‘, or
(c)to assist with children with disabilities or other special needs.’.
Amendment No. 232, in clause 6, page 4, line 13, at end insert
‘or,
(c)to sustain caring responsibilities.’.
Amendment No. 3, in clause 6, page 4, line 15, after ‘authority’, insert
‘(aa)must actively monitor the demands from families to ensure that provision is responsive to their needs,’.
Amendment No. 230, in clause 6, page 4, line 16, leave out paragraph (a) and insert
‘(a)must have regard to the needs of parents in their area—
(i)who are eligible for the childcare element of the working tax credit,
(ii)who are eligible for the maximum entitlement to the child tax credit,
(iii)for the provision of childcare which is suitable for disabled children, and
(iv)from black and minority ethnic communities’.
Amendment No. 79, in clause 6, page 4, line 17, leave out sub-paragraph (i).
Amendment No. 195, in clause 6, page 4, line 20, at end insert
‘(iii)the provision of a diverse range of childcare, and
(iv)the provision of childcare which is accessible to black and other minority ethnic groups.’.
Amendment No. 83, in clause 6, page 4, line 22, at end insert
‘and to the affordability of such childcare’.
Amendment No. 84, in clause 6, page 4, line 22, at end insert
‘and to the sustainability of such childcare’.
Amendment No. 99, in clause 6, page 4, line 22, at end insert
‘(e)must have regard to existing childcare operated by private and voluntary independent providers.’.
Amendment No. 100, in clause 6, page 4, line 22, at end insert
‘(f)must establish an appeals process for providers who wish to challenge the basis on which the provision of childcare is deemed to be sufficient in this section.’.
Amendment No. 125, in clause 6, page 4, line 22, at end insert
‘(g)must have regard to the quality of any childcare provided.’.
Amendment No. 126, in clause 6, page 4, line 22, at end insert
‘(h)must have regard to childcare provision for workless households, pursuant to its duties under section 1(1).’.
Amendment No. 4, in clause 6, page 4, line 22, at end insert
‘(2A)In carrying out research to comply with subsection (2) above, local authorities shall ensure compliance with guidance provided by the Market Research Council and the British Polling Council.’.
Amendment No. 127, in clause 6, page 4, line 24, at end insert
‘, which will set out the factors that local authorities may consider in assessing—
(i)whether local childcare provision is sufficient, and
(ii)what constitutes reasonably practicable steps.’.
Amendment No. 239, in clause 6, page 4, line 33, leave out ‘16’ and insert ‘18’.
Amendment No. 80, in clause 6, page 4, leave out lines 35 and 36.
New clause 9—Appeals mechanism—
‘An English local authority must establish an appeals mechanism to enable parents unable to access childcare under the terms set out in section 6 to require the local authority to reassess the sufficiency of the provision of sufficiency.’.
Amendment No. 249, in clause 22, page 11, line 6, after ‘of’, insert
‘good quality, accessible and affordable’.
Amendment No. 250, in clause 22, page 11, line 6, after ‘is’, insert ‘and remains’.
Amendment No. 253, in clause 22, page 11, line 11, at end insert
‘or
(c)to assist with children with disabilities or other special needs.’.
Amendment No. 254, in clause 22, page 11, line 13, at end insert
‘(aa)must actively monitor the demands from families to ensure that provision is responsible to their needs.’.
Amendment No. 255, in clause 22, page 11, line 15, leave out sub-paragraph (i).
Amendment No. 261, in clause 22, page 11, line 22, at end insert
‘(c)must have regard to existing childcare operated by private and voluntary independent providers.’.
Amendment No. 262, in clause 22, page 11, line 22, at end insert
‘(c)must establish an appeals process for providers who wish to challenge the basis on which the provision of childcare is deemed to be sufficient in this section.’.
Amendment No. 257, in clause 22, page 11, line 22, at end insert
‘(2A)In carrying out research to comply with subsection (2) above, local authorities shall ensure that relevant guidance provided by the Market Research Council and the British Polling Council is complied with.’.
Amendment No. 263, in clause 22, page 11, leave out lines 35 and 36.
Amendment No. 200, in clause 98, page 49, line 24, at end insert
‘(aa)an order under section 6,’.