This is a headline document. Obviously, all that discussion and debate and detail will take place, and what I think we should be doing today is addressing the merits of what’s in that document. I was actually speaking to a constituent this morning who was saying that there was a very high-quality nursery in Cardiff North that she wanted her child to go to, but the child couldn’t go there because it was only term time. So, I think the details of this proposal are very important.

I think it’s very important that when we do develop the details that the model is developed flexibly, because it will be added on to the existing 10 hours of the foundation phase, which I know is logistically very challenging to many parents because it’s difficult to access if it’s only two hours a day as it is delivered at the moment. So, I hope it will be flexibly done, so that child minders, play groups and nurseries are recognised as childcare providers that would be eligible for this money, because it’s got to be worked in together with the foundation phase and we do need a mix of settings.

I think it’s very important that we do recognise that to pay for childcare in Wales is very expensive. A 2016 report by Chwarae Teg estimates that for full-time jobs, based on five days of nursery and a child minder, the cost of childcare is 32 per cent of an average man’s salary and 37 per cent of an average woman’s. So, the cost is very high for childcare in Wales. So, this, I think, is a fantastically important policy, and I’m very proud that the Labour Government has put this forward as part of the key elements of its programme for government.