asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they will take in response to the report by Ofsted covering 143 childcare centres.

Ofsted published its annual report on the quality of early-years and childcare provision, Leading to Excellence, on 27 August 2008. The report showed that almost all settings (97 per cent) inspected during the three-year period to March 2008 were satisfactory or better and 3 per cent (which includes the 143 London childcare settings) were judged inadequate. The role of Ofsted is to inspect providers and, where they are found inadequate, to set out a plan of action to improve, carry out monitoring visits and/or reinspect to make sure action is being taken. By the next inspection almost all have improved.

In support, the Government introduced: a statutory duty on local authorities in October 2007 to support registered providers to improve the quality of their provision; from 1 September, the early-years foundation stage—which sets a single statutory national framework for standards of quality and safety parents are entitled to expect from childcare providers; and legislation requiring all childcare providers to inform parents if they are judged “inadequate”.