Written question WQ89909

Childcare is a key priority for the Welsh Government, and we are investing heavily to expand childcare and early years provision to all two-year olds in Wales. This is a commitment in our Programme for Government and in the Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru. Through the Childcare Offer for Wales and the Flying Start programme we already invest more than £90m in childcare in Wales a year.

Our focus is on supporting the children of Wales to thrive. We know access to high quality early education and care is invaluable for children and particularly for those from more disadvantaged communities. Ensuring that every child has access to high quality support in the early childhood education and care they receive is key to addressing inequality. This is why we have focussed our expansion through the Flying Start programme.

The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 22nd November failed to recognise the pressures our public services are under. Our funding position remains incredibly difficult. Our settlement for 2024-25 is worth up to £1.3bn less in real terms than expected at the time of the 2021 Spending Review.

We had £12.1m in 2023-24 and £128.4m in 2024-25 in consequentials as part of the UK Spring Statement. The 2023-24 consequentials were included in the Welsh Government’s spending plans published in the first supplementary budget in June 2023. The allocations for 2024-25 will be managed through the Draft Budget which will be published on the 19th of December.