Nursery World - DfE accused of missing an opportunity to fix the sector as it rejects MPs recommendations

Early years organisations have accused the Government of missing an opportunity to make ‘meaningful change’ in the sector with the rejection of recommendations from MPs to fix funding rates and review business rates relief.

The DfE has rejected many of the Education Committee's recommendations for the early education and childcare sector, PHOTO: Adobe Stock

Following an inquiry, the cross-party Education Committee put forward a number of recommendations to support the childcare and early years sector, outlined in a report, published in July.

The Government accepted, in full, four of the Select Committee’s recommendations, accepted a further 11 in part and rejected or failed to respond to eight.

The recommendations that were rejected include:

Ministers said they had frozen business rates for the next five years and that rate relief schemes already provide discounts to childcare providers and others. The response said there are no plans to alter terms for VAT.

The Government did not fully accept the recommendation to work with childcare providers and local authorities to set the hourly funding rate when the universal 30 hours entitlements come in.

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