Childcare Funding (Wales) Act 2019

A Welsh Government Bill, introduced by Huw Irranca-Davies AM, Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care. The Business Committee remitted the Bill to the Children, Young People and Education Committee.

 

About the Bill

 

The Childcare Funding (Wales) Bill (“the Bill”) gave Welsh Ministers the power to provide funding for childcare for qualifying children of working parents and to make regulations about the arrangements for administering and operating such funding.

 

The Bill intended to facilitate the delivery of a key commitment in the Welsh Labour manifesto Together for Wales (2016), which aimed to provide 30 hours per week of government funded early education and childcare to the working parents of three and four year olds in Wales for up to 48 weeks per year (this is referred to in the Explanatory Memorandum accompanying the Bill as ‘the Offer’).

 

At the time of the Bill’s introduction, all eligible 3 and 4 year old children (from the term after their third birthday) were entitled to a minimum of 10 hours early education per week during term time over 39 weeks of the year. The Offer built on this universal entitlement and provided up to a total of 30 hours early education and care per week over 48 weeks of the year for the 3 and 4 year olds of working parents.

 

The Bill related to the childcare element of the Offer and was therefore concerned with the funding that would be provided in respect of the eligible children of working parents.

 

Further detail about the Bill can be found in its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum.

 

Current Stage

 

BillStageAct

 

 

The Childcare Funding (Wales) Act 2019 became law in Wales on 30 January 2019.

 

Record of Passage in the National Assembly for Wales

 

The following table sets out the dates for each stage of the Bill’s passage through the National Assembly for Wales.

 

Stage

Documents

Bill introduced: 16 April 2018

Childcare Funding (Wales) Bill, as introduced (PDF 79KB)

 

Explanatory Memorandum (PDF 1MB)

 

Presiding Officer’s Statement: 16 April 2018 (PDF 142KB)

 

Statement of Policy Intent (PDF 229KB)

 

Business Committee’s Report on the timetable for consideration of the Bill (PDF 55KB) (Revised – see below)

 

Business Committee: Revised timetable for consideration of the Bill (PDF 55KB)

 

Bill Summary (PDF 2MB)

 

Stage 1: Committee considerations of general principles

Public consultation

 

The Children, Young People and Education Committee issued a call for evidence, which closed on 18 May 2018.

 

Consultation responses and further information following evidence sessions.

 

Letters of Consent

 

Committee consideration

 

The Children, Young People and Education Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

 

Date and Agenda

Purpose of meeting

Transcript

Senedd.TV

18 April 2018

Consideration of Approach to Stage 1 Scrutiny

(Private)

(Private)

16 May 2018

Evidence sessions

16 May 2018 Transcript

View meeting of 16 May

24 May 2018

Evidence sessions

24 May 2018 Transcript

View meeting of 24 May

6 June 2018

Evidence sessions

6 June 2018

Transcript

View meeting of 6 June

14 June 2018

Evidence session

14 June 2018 Transcript

View meeting of 14 June

 

 

Committee Stage 1 Report

 

The Committee laid its report on 18 July 2018.

 

Response from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care to the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s Stage 1 Report – 17 September 2018 (PDF 496KB)

 

Letter from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care: additional response on Stage 1 recommendations – 17 October 2018 (PDF, 277 KB)

 

The Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee considered the Bill on the following date:

 

Date and Agenda

Purpose of meeting

Transcript

Senedd.TV

14 May 2018

Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care

14 May 2018 Transcript

View meeting of 14 May

 

The Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee laid its report on the Bill (PDF, 748KB) on 28 June 2018.

 

Letter (PDF 405KB) from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care to the Constitutional & Legislative Affairs Committee – 17 September 2018

 

Letter from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care: additional response on Stage 1 recommendations – 17 October 2018 (PDF 277KB)

 

The Finance Committee considered the Bill on the following date:

Date and Agenda

Purpose of meeting

Transcript

Senedd.TV

13 June 2018

Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care

13 June 2018 Transcript

View meeting of 13 June 2018

 

The Finance Committee laid its report on the Bill on 16 July 2018 (PDF 529KB).

 

Letter (PDF, 291KB) from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care to the Finance Committee – 17 September 2018

 

Stage 1: Debate in Plenary on general principles

A debate took place in Plenary on 18 September 2018. The motion to agree the general principles of the Bill was agreed.

Financial Resolution

In accordance with Standing Order 26.68 the Presiding Officer indicated that a financial resolution was required for this Bill.  Further information about financial resolutions is available in section 3 of the Guide to scrutiny stages for Public Bills

Stage 2: Committee consideration of amendments

Stage 2 consideration took place in Committee on 18 October.

 

Notice of amendments

Notice of amendments – 19 September 2018 (PDF 59KB)

Welsh Government: Purpose and Effect table – 19 September 2018 (PDF, 216KB)

Notice of amendments – 20 September 2018 (PDF 72KB)

Notice of amendments – 4 October 2018 (PDF 65KB)

Welsh Government: Purpose and Effect table – 4 October 2018 (PDF KB269)

Notice of amendments – 10 October 2018 (PDF 95KB)

Notice of amendments – 11 October 2018 (PDF 72KB)

Marshalled List of Amendments - 18 October 2018 (PDF 117KB)

Grouping of Amendment - 18 October 2018 (PDF 69KB)

 

 

Childcare Funding (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 2 (PDF, 85KB)

Amendments to the Bill since the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the right margin.

Explanatory Memorandum, revised after Stage 2 (PDF 1,915KB)

 

Summary of changes at Stage 2 – Research Service Blog 26 October 2018

 

Correspondence

Letter (PDF, 510KB) from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care – Revised Explanatory Memorandum – November 2018

 

Stage 3: Plenary consideration of amendments

Stage 3 began on 19 October 2018.

 

Stage 3 consideration took place in Plenary on 5 December 2018 to consider amendments to the Bill (as amended at Stage 2).

 

Notice of amendments

Notice of amendments – 6 November 2018 (PDF, 65KB)

Welsh Government: Purpose and Effect table – 6 November 2018 (PDF, 281KB)

Notice of amendments - 12 November 2018 (PDF, 59KB)

Welsh Government: Purpose and Effect table - 12 November 2018 (PDF, 180KB)

Notice of amendments – 28 November 2018 (version 2) (PDF, 117KB)

Marshalled list of amendments – 5 December 2018 (version 2) (PDF, 118KB)

Groupings of Amendments – 5 December 2018 (PDF, 71KB)

 

Childcare Funding (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 3 (PDF, 87KB)

Amendments to the Bill since the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the right margin.

 

Correspondence informing Stage 3

Letter (PDF, 86KB) from the Chair to the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care: registration requirements  - 23 October 2018

Letter (PDF, 383KB) from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care: registration requirements  - 5 November 2018

Letter (PDF, 536KB) from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care - draft framework of administrative scheme -  5 November 2018

Letter (PDF, 307KB) from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care: the various schemes available to parents to help them with childcare, outside of the parameters of the Bill – 21 November 2018

Stage 4: Passing of the Bill in Plenary

The Bill was agreed by the Assembly on 12 December 2018.

 

Childcare Funding (Wales) Bill, as passed (PDF, 79KB)

Post-stage 4

 

The Solicitor General (PDF, 19KB) on behalf of the Attorney General, Counsel General (PDF, 257KB) and Secretary of State for Wales (PDF, 201KB) wrote to the Chief Executive and Clerk of the Assembly to advise that they would not be referring the Childcare Funding (Wales) Bill to the Supreme Court under Sections 112 or 114 of the Government of Wales Act 2006.

 

Date of Royal Assent

Royal Assent was given on 30 January 2019

 

Contact information

Clerk: Llinos Madeley

Phone: 0300 200 6352

 

Postal address:

National Assembly for Wales

Cardiff Bay

Cardiff, CF99 1NA

 

Email: SeneddCYPE@Assembly.Wales

Business type: Bill

Reason considered: Government Business;

Status: Complete

First published: 17/04/2018

Documents

Consultations