Clause 22 - Duty to secure sufficient childcare for working parents
Childcare Bill
6:15 pm
Roger Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire, Liberal Democrat)
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 amendment even though I do not have a great deal of faith in the form of legislation used because it puts too much emphasis on the detail of what the Welsh Assembly should encourage Welsh authorities to do. I am sure that the provision of child care in rural areas in England has its own difficulties, and it certainly has in Wales. The amendment has been tabled to remind the Welsh Assembly that rural issues are important. The Welsh Assembly Government are south-east Wales-centric, believing that everything revolves around Cardiff, in the way that the Westminster Government are south-east England-centric, believing that everything revolves the south-east of England.
The amendment would prompt and encourage the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure that child care provision in rural areas is taken into account. I went around on Saturday with the Rev. Ian Charlesworth, who is responsible for Sure Start provision in the Brecon area. He explained that a big difficulty is ensuring that children from very rural areas get there to benefit from the experience. I understand also that registered child minders cannot provide that facility in houses other than their own. There are more suitable ways of going about that in rural areas. I do not understand the reason for the requirement and it seems to me that if child minders could use a domestic residence other than their own, or other premises, that might be more suitable and enable more children to participate.
My main purpose is to encourage the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure that the children of rural Wales enjoy the same facilities as the children of urban Wales.