Lords questions Government officials on affordable childcare - is the policy effectively coordinated across departments?

There are four departments involved in the area of childcare policy: the Department for Education, which leads on affordable childcare; the Department for Work and Pensions, which sets policy on financial support through the welfare system; HMRC, which will implement the tax-free childcare policy currently proposed in the Childcare Payments Bill, and HM Treasury, which sets strategic tax policy. The Committee will be keen to find out whether policies are sufficiently coordinated across Government departments to deliver value for money. 

Questions the Committee are likely to put to the witnesses include:

• Why has the Government made affordable childcare a priority, and is this view shared across all departments?
• How does Government policy address the dual objectives of child development and enabling parents to work?
• What are the trends in childcare costs and what is driving them?
• What is the total cost to Government of supporting childcare?

The evidence sessions will take place on Wednesday 9 July at 10.40am in Committee Room 4a of the House of Lords.

The session will be webcast at www.parliamentlive.tv and is also open to the public. Journalists wishing to attend should go to Parliament's Cromwell Green Entrance and should allow time for security screening.