The next group of amendments is group 13, which relates to the duty to promote awareness. The lead amendment in this group is amendment 31 and it's the only amendment, and I call on Janet Finch-Saunders to move the amendment. Janet Finch-Saunders.

Amendment 31 (Janet Finch-Saunders) moved.

Thank you. Diolch, Llywydd. Amendment 31 places a duty on Welsh Government to promote awareness of the childcare offer and eligibility in Wales. The dual-stream nature of the offer is evident, split into the foundation phase, nursery, early years education, administered by local authorities for at least 10 hours per week, and the childcare offered—

You've got the wrong one.

I'm on the wrong one. I do apologise.

Next one. No. 13, yes, I was on the right one. Right. 

In evidence to the committee, the WLGA stated that local authorities remained responsible for administering systems for early years education, meaning parents would have to apply separately to their local authority and HMRC to access the full 30 hours. However, it has been noted by childcare providers as well as Estyn that this could cause widespread confusion among parents. 

At a national level, HMRC's representative confirmed that there was no reason at all why the correspondence couldn't include what a parent is eligible for, and alluded to the fact that the childcare choices could be updated to include Welsh data.

We recognise the Minister's admission that there would be potential for confusion arising as a consequence of the Bill, but had mentioned that the Welsh Government had funded a family information service within each local authority in the pilot areas in order to give clear signposting between the two systems. He further noted that a communications strategy was being tested within the pilot areas to signpost parents on the offer as well as additional support such as tax credits. As such, it is important that Welsh Government continue with their efforts to inform parents of the offer and provide alternatives if they are not fully eligible.

This amendment covers the Minister's commitment and will simplify the offer for parents so that no further barriers are placed before them during application. Furthermore, local authorities already have systems in place to signpost parents to the foundation phase childcare offer, enabling a smooth transition towards a national system. Furthermore, the evaluation of early implementers has recommended that promotion and awareness raising should be considered. The evaluation also noted that more and clearer information is needed to help parents of qualifying children to work out the cost of childcare. As a result, we believe that a duty on the Welsh Government to provide information will help to continue funding for local authorities in this respect as well as to co-ordinate information services at the point of national roll-out. Thank you.

Minister.

I am indeed aware that there have been a range of communication challenges for local authorities, parents and providers in relation to the offer to date, and I've considered carefully the findings of the evaluation report on the first year of early implementation, covering many of these points.

So, we will be launching a national communications campaign regarding the offer ahead of it being available nationally in 2020. Alongside this, as Janet has referred to, we'll continue to work with the family information service to ensure that details about both this offer, and also other, wider childcare support, are available to parents as needed.

Each local authority has a family information service, which acts as the first point of contact for advice and information on local services for families and carers. It is, of course, also important to make sure parents have access to information about childcare at the point when they make decisions about jobs and careers. So, we've been working with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that employment advisers have that information, as well as with our own Welsh  Government-funded employability programmes. So, given that all of this work is already under way and that we have a service dedicated to providing families with advice on their childcare choices, I don't see that we need to add additional duties in this regard by way of this Bill, so we won't be supporting this amendment.

Janet Finch-Saunders to respond.

I would like to proceed to the vote.

The question is that amendment 31 be agreed. Does any Member object? [Objection.] We will move to a vote. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 18, no abstentions, 25 against. Therefore, amendment 31 is not agreed.

Amendment 31: For: 18, Against: 25, Abstain: 0

Amendment has been rejected

Amendment 32, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Amendment 32 (Janet Finch-Saunders) moved.

I move.

The question is that amendment 32 be agreed. Does any Member object? [Objection.] We will move to a vote. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 18, no abstentions, 25 against. Therefore, amendment 32 is not agreed.

Amendment 32: For: 18, Against: 25, Abstain: 0

Amendment has been rejected

Amendment 33, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Amendment 33 (Janet Finch-Saunders) moved.

I move.

The question is that amendment 33 be agreed. Does any Member object? [Objection.] We will move to a vote. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 18, no abstentions, 25 against. Therefore, the amendment is not agreed.

Amendment 33: For: 18, Against: 25, Abstain: 0

Amendment has been rejected