Clause 22 - Duty to secure sufficient childcare for working parents
Childcare Bill
6:15 pm
Beverley Hughes (Minister of State (Children, Young People and Families), Department for Education and Skills; Stretford and Urmston, Labour)
I share the hon. Gentleman’s concern about families in rural areas, whether in Wales or England. He is right to say that it will be for the Assembly to tackle the problem. It may be some comfort to him to know that the Welsh Assembly Government have considered it and recognised its importance in their child care strategy, “Childcare is for Children”, which explicitly acknowledges the need to contend with the fact that child care is likely to be less accessible for parents in rural areas.
I understand also that child care will be specifically considered within the new Wales transport strategy and in the guidance to the regional transport consortium for the development of a new round of local transport plans. It will be necessary to take account of child care matters in thinking about the development of transport. The duty is drawn broadly, which gives the Welsh Assembly the wherewithal to take the needs of rural areas into account. However, the detail must be left to the Assembly.