Emma Reynolds, Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East and Shadow Housing Minister, has criticised the government for cutting investment in childcare.Wolverhampton’s early intervention grant has been cut from £21.1million to £13.2million, a cut of £7.9million, and will be further reduced to £9.1million in 2014. According to a Mumsnet survey earlier this year, the lack of affordable, high-quality childcare is a barrier to full-time employment for nearly half of women on low and middle incomes.

Emma is today supporting Labour’s plan to introduce a legal guarantee of access to wraparound care from 8am to 6pm at primary schools. Labour has also announced plans to extend free childcare from 15 to 25 hours per week for working parents of three and four year-olds, funded by increasing the banking levy.

Since this government took office, the cost of nursery places has risen by 30%, five times faster than pay and at the same time they have closed 576 Sure Start centres across the country, with three being lost on average every week.

Emma said “The fact that the cost of childcare has risen five times faster than wages is a major cause of the cost of living crisis affecting families. It eats into family budgets and stops women from going out to work. British families spend more on childcare than any other country in the EU, but the cost is still rising faster than in any other EU country too. Nor is there enough wrap around childcare for those women who want to work.

Under this government, parents face a childcare crunch, with costs up by 30% under David Cameron, while hundreds of Sure Start centres close. David Cameron promised voters in 2010 that he would protect and increase Sure Start, he has broken that promise. In Wolverhampton the early intervention grant has been cut by £7.9million.

November 2013