Thank you for contacting me about the soaring costs of childcare.
Amid the cost-of-living crisis so many people are being forced into impossible dilemmas, I empathise with families like yours that are faced with giving up work or continuing to pay through the roof for childcare.
You may be aware that due to the current devolved settlement agreement, childcare laws and policies in Wales are devolved to the Welsh Government. I am concerned that, under Labour, Wales has seen the biggest rise in the average weekly cost of childcare in Britain, jumping 8 per cent to £147.21 a week.
The UK Government has outlined proposals that by September 2025 will extend 30 hours of free childcare, to eligible working parents, for every child over the age of 9 months. I am disappointed that the Welsh Labour Government has not made this same commitment, despite receiving additional funding from the UK Government to match this.
I believe that hard work should be rewarded, and that the Welsh Government should be supporting Welsh parents to stay in work and contribute to their communities.
My colleague, Gareth Davies MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Social Services, will continue to call on Welsh Labour to do the right thing and extend the provision of free childcare, in line with the proposals that have been made for England.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
