I commend the Cabinet Secretary and the Government, on the whole, on the system that is proposed. It doubtless will provide much more flexibility and support for working parents, but I disagree with his assertion that that flexibility and support for working parents has previously been part of the Welsh system. Five 2.5-hour sessions without flexibility makes it far harder for two parents to go out to work. I think it’s likely that there will be a very significant increase in the participation rate, and I would question whether that’s been allowed for in the finances of the £84 million.

The Cabinet Secretary also said this morning to Finance Committee that he will have to ramp up spending gradually because of a lack of capacity. Certainly, in my personal experience, it’s incredibly difficult to get a childcare place at a good nursery in the south-east of England. It is far easier in Cardiff and south-east Wales to find capacity and find a number of really good-quality nurseries that can quickly take a child in the private sector. Given that, will the Government look at greater use of private sector nurseries, as well as state provision, particularly taking into account that, when you ramp it up from 38 hours to 48 hours a week, that may fit the school timetable and provision less easily and lead to greater average costs for school provision than has been the case to date?