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| Childcare reforms: coalition splits emerge | Childcare reforms: coalition splits emerge |
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| A previously hidden coalition clash over childcare has burst into the open as a Conservative minister rejected concerns expressed by the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, that her plans could damage the quality of childcare and fail to achieve savings. | A previously hidden coalition clash over childcare has burst into the open as a Conservative minister rejected concerns expressed by the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, that her plans could damage the quality of childcare and fail to achieve savings. |
| The childcare minister, Elizabeth Truss, was summoned to the Commons on Thursday to answer an urgent question on the future of plans to relax child-to-staff ratios in England. Labour said the row was another example of chaos and incompetence at the heart of the coalition, and said it would force a Commons vote on the issue. | |
| Truss told MPs the government was considering responses to a consultation on the plans and would "make further announcements in due course". | Truss told MPs the government was considering responses to a consultation on the plans and would "make further announcements in due course". |
| She had proposed increasing the number of under-ones each adult can look after from three to four and the number of two-year-olds from four to six. The number of three-year-olds would stay at eight or 13 children per adult, depending on whether a qualified graduate was present. | She had proposed increasing the number of under-ones each adult can look after from three to four and the number of two-year-olds from four to six. The number of three-year-olds would stay at eight or 13 children per adult, depending on whether a qualified graduate was present. |
| Clegg said on Thursday he was concerned that plans to reduce the ratio of childcare staff to children would represent too great a challenge for childminders and nursery workers, and the issue was being reviewed in government. | Clegg said on Thursday he was concerned that plans to reduce the ratio of childcare staff to children would represent too great a challenge for childminders and nursery workers, and the issue was being reviewed in government. |
| Truss told the Commons England had "the tightest ratios in Europe" for children under three and the lowest staff salaries. In Ireland and Germany, each staff member could look after six two-year-olds, in France workers could look after eight youngsters and in Denmark and Sweden there were "no national staff ratios at all", she said. | Truss told the Commons England had "the tightest ratios in Europe" for children under three and the lowest staff salaries. In Ireland and Germany, each staff member could look after six two-year-olds, in France workers could look after eight youngsters and in Denmark and Sweden there were "no national staff ratios at all", she said. |
| "Our evidence suggests – Department for Education economists have looked at this in detail – that nurseries will be able to pay higher staff salaries and reduce costs to parents," she added. Failing to reform the supply of childcare would make the cost prohibitive for parents who wanted to go to work, she said. | |
| The shadow education secretary, Stephen Twigg, said the ink was not dry on the Queen's speech "when we learned that the government might in fact be U-turning on its policy". | The shadow education secretary, Stephen Twigg, said the ink was not dry on the Queen's speech "when we learned that the government might in fact be U-turning on its policy". |
| He said: "Isn't this yet another example of chaos and incompetence at the heart of government policymaking?" | He said: "Isn't this yet another example of chaos and incompetence at the heart of government policymaking?" |
| Labour will table an amendment to the children and families bill at report stage, which is due to be debated in the next few weeks. | Labour will table an amendment to the children and families bill at report stage, which is due to be debated in the next few weeks. |
| Twigg, who is chairing the party's childcare commission, said childcare workers did not want the additional risk of having to look after as many as six two-year-olds at a time. He said: "Parents don't want to put the safety of their young children at risk. This government is presiding over a crisis in childcare. Families have seen help through tax credits cut by £1,560 and Sure Start centres closing down. Now the quality of care is at risk too." | Twigg, who is chairing the party's childcare commission, said childcare workers did not want the additional risk of having to look after as many as six two-year-olds at a time. He said: "Parents don't want to put the safety of their young children at risk. This government is presiding over a crisis in childcare. Families have seen help through tax credits cut by £1,560 and Sure Start centres closing down. Now the quality of care is at risk too." |
| Truss acknowledged that "opinion is divided within the British academic establishment as it is on many educational issues". | Truss acknowledged that "opinion is divided within the British academic establishment as it is on many educational issues". |
| But she said: "These policies are alive and well in France, in Ireland, in Holland, in Germany – there is not a single country, including Scotland, where the ratios are as low as they are here in England." | But she said: "These policies are alive and well in France, in Ireland, in Holland, in Germany – there is not a single country, including Scotland, where the ratios are as low as they are here in England." |
| The Truss proposals emerged after months of wrangling between the coalition parties and have been sharply criticised by the Pre-school Alliance and parent groups such as Mumsnet. | The Truss proposals emerged after months of wrangling between the coalition parties and have been sharply criticised by the Pre-school Alliance and parent groups such as Mumsnet. |
| The deputy prime minister, speaking on his weekly LBC radio phone-in programme, said the issue had been under discussion "for weeks and weeks", adding that he was as surprised as anyone else that the story had "appeared overnight". | The deputy prime minister, speaking on his weekly LBC radio phone-in programme, said the issue had been under discussion "for weeks and weeks", adding that he was as surprised as anyone else that the story had "appeared overnight". |
| The task of one adult looking after six two-year-olds was a nightmare, he said, adding that he was passionate about better quality and more affordable childcare. | The task of one adult looking after six two-year-olds was a nightmare, he said, adding that he was passionate about better quality and more affordable childcare. |
| Clegg said: "It is not a great ideological thing, it is about getting it right for parents up and down the country. When the last government changed the so-called ratios for three- and four-year-olds, it had almost no effect in reducing the costs for parents whatsoever, so you do need to be led by the evidence and that is what I will continue to be in the debate." | Clegg said: "It is not a great ideological thing, it is about getting it right for parents up and down the country. When the last government changed the so-called ratios for three- and four-year-olds, it had almost no effect in reducing the costs for parents whatsoever, so you do need to be led by the evidence and that is what I will continue to be in the debate." |
| He added that a lot of the evidence in the consultation suggested there was a trade-off between quality and quantity. "I would challenge you to spend a morning look after six two-year-olds," he said. | He added that a lot of the evidence in the consultation suggested there was a trade-off between quality and quantity. "I would challenge you to spend a morning look after six two-year-olds," he said. |
| Clegg said it was vital that the government got the decision right. He stressed the proposals did not jeopardise plans to offer free childcare tax breaks worth £1,200 for two parents planned for 2015, saying the income stream for those plans came from elsewhere. | Clegg said it was vital that the government got the decision right. He stressed the proposals did not jeopardise plans to offer free childcare tax breaks worth £1,200 for two parents planned for 2015, saying the income stream for those plans came from elsewhere. |
| The prime minister's spokesman said the government had consulted on the issue and was "considering its response to the views it has received". | The prime minister's spokesman said the government had consulted on the issue and was "considering its response to the views it has received". |
| Asked if the prime minister was aware of his deputy's concerns, the spokesman said David Cameron and Clegg discussed all aspects of government policy. It was a "topic of concern for very many families, it is an issue that the government has been discussing internally as you would expect because we are bringing forward proposals", he said. | Asked if the prime minister was aware of his deputy's concerns, the spokesman said David Cameron and Clegg discussed all aspects of government policy. It was a "topic of concern for very many families, it is an issue that the government has been discussing internally as you would expect because we are bringing forward proposals", he said. |
| He added: "The UK has some of the most expensive childcare in Europe as well as the tightest ratios and the government is committed to improving accessibility to high-quality childcare." | He added: "The UK has some of the most expensive childcare in Europe as well as the tightest ratios and the government is committed to improving accessibility to high-quality childcare." |
| Justine Roberts, chief executive and founder of the Mumsnet website, said its users would be mighty relieved by Clegg's stance. | |
| "Put simply, parents believe that the quality of care will be adversely affected by the proposed changes and that even with a GCSE in maths and English, four babies under one or six under-twos is a lot for even the most experienced childcare worker to manage," she said. | "Put simply, parents believe that the quality of care will be adversely affected by the proposed changes and that even with a GCSE in maths and English, four babies under one or six under-twos is a lot for even the most experienced childcare worker to manage," she said. |
| "Only 5% of Mumsnet users supported a change in ratios even if it meant lower costs. That's why Mumsnet supports the Pre-school Learning Alliance's Rewind on Ratios campaign and we very much hope that Nick Clegg's intervention results in a rethink." | "Only 5% of Mumsnet users supported a change in ratios even if it meant lower costs. That's why Mumsnet supports the Pre-school Learning Alliance's Rewind on Ratios campaign and we very much hope that Nick Clegg's intervention results in a rethink." |