Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:11 pm on 19 October 2016.
Well, our approach to childcare in Wales has always been predicated on the links between affordable, available and good-quality childcare on participation in the labour market. We’ve always wanted to make sure that childcare is there in sufficient quantity to make sure that women, in particular, are able to pursue careers in the jobs market in the way that they would wish. The Member makes an important point about flexibility because that is exactly why the Cabinet Secretary has decided to proceed on a pilot basis, in order to make sure that we design the extra supply of childcare that will be needed to meet the pledge in a way that is able to meet the working patterns that families who will want to take advantage of the new service will need. So, it is an important consideration, and already there as part of the pilot approach. We carried out some serious work in advance of the election to draw up the figures that we have published that show what we think this scheme will need, but we will learn from the pilots in relation to the quantum, no doubt, as well.