WESTMINSTER RADAR
Search
My MPs
Menu

Question follow-through · 38303

Childcare

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason eligibility dates for free childcare provision are set from 1 April rather than aligning with the tax year ending on 5 April; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the el

answeredDepartment for Education

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body
Department for Education
Tabled
13 Mar 2025
Target answer date
17 Mar 2025
Answer
29 Mar 2025 · 16 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

More questions by this MP on Education and skills

Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.

Recorded timeline

  1. 13 Mar 2025

    Question tabled

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason eligibility dates for free childcare provision are set from 1 April rather than aligning with the tax year ending on 5 April; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the el

  2. 17 Mar 2025

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 29 Mar 2025

    Answer published

    The entitlements work on a termly basis, so children become eligible from the term after they reach the relevant age and/or after they or their parents meet the eligibility criteria. Terms begin on 1 September, 1 January or 1 April. Therefore, depending o...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Social Workers: Registration

26 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has plans to increase registration fees for social workers.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Pupils: Transgender People

30 Apr 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that (a) schools and (b) educational systems provide inclusive (i) physical environments and (ii) social education for trans students.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Children: Swimming

30 Apr 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that primary schools provide adequate (a) swimming and (b) water safety lessons.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

ICT: Mental Health

15 May 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to implement (a) recommendations on guidance for parents on the effects of screen time on infants and (b) other recommendations in the former Education Committee’s Fourth Report of

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Pre-school Education: Special Educational Needs

19 May 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the level of specialist nursery and early years places for children with special educational needs and disabilities; and whether she plans to in

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Pre-school Education: Voluntary Contributions

19 May 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of enabling early years settings to accept voluntary financial contributions from parents to (a) support and (b) enrich learning.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Foster Care: Education

31 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on supporting children in voluntary foster care to return home in cases where a lack of suitable full-time education provision is a barrier to family r

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Foster Care: Education

31 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to local authorities of keeping children in voluntary foster care due to inadequate local education provision.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Vocational Education

10 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the affordability of employability courses for students; and whether she plans to increase funding to help improve access to such courses.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Special Educational Needs

10 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that local authorities comply with section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Schools: Uniforms

3 Dec 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of uniform changes proposed in the Children and Wellbeing Bill on parents who wish to buy branded uniform items for convenience.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Special Educational Needs: Public Consultation

9 Dec 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what factors determined the timing between the publication of the consultation on the SEND white paper on 2 December 2025 and the first engagement event on 3 December 2025; and whether that notice period aligns