Select committee: Petitions Committee
Recommendation 18
First Report - Impact of Covid-19 on new parents: one year on
Published 7 Oct 2021
Paragraph 59
Petitions Committee Impact of Covid-19 on new parents: one year on All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We support the call of petitioners for an independent review into childcare funding and affordability. We recommend that the Government should commission such a review, to consider how to provide greater financial security to the sector following the pandemic, as well as consulting with parents on how to ensure childcare provision meets their needs and supports their return to work. This review should include but not be limited to future sector funding allocations, and so should be separate from the ongoing Spending Review process. The Government should set the terms of reference for this review within two months, with a view to publishing the findings of the review by next summer.
From: Petitions Committee, First Report - Impact of Covid-19 on new parents: one year on (HC 479), paragraph 59, 7 October 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 7 March 2022 (deadline 7 December 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government sets out funding and support for new parents but states it "will not be developing an isolated strategy" on the pandemic's impact, and "will not be launching an independent review of childcare at this time".
- On mental health and early years support, it points to existing and announced measures, including £100 million for bespoke mental health support for new and expectant parents and a £500 million families and early years package over three years.
- On redundancy protection, it "remains committed to extending" protections for new and expectant mothers and intends to introduce the measures "as soon as Parliamentary time allows", without giving a date.
- On extending the time limit for employment tribunal claims, it "continues to look closely" at the change but says it "will be given sufficient time for consideration".
- On Maternity Allowance in Universal Credit, it states "We have no plans to change the way that Maternity Allowance is treated in Universal Credit."