In a written answer to a parliamentary question from Liberal Democrat MP Peter Brand, employment and equal opportunities minister Margaret Hodge last week said that the Government made an initial analysis of a random sample of 1,069 of the 6,000 or so responses to the consultation on the new national standards for daycare. She said it found that 63 per cent agreed with the criteria for the standard on health, and 37 per cent disagreed.
The headline requirement is that 'The provider promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill'. There are 14 proposed criteria, of which the last is that childminders should be permitted to smoke with parental consent. Mrs Haynes described this as 'completely contradictory' and said the NCMA would be seeking further legal advice on the matter.
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