Drakeford accused of refusing to extend free childcare

The first minister has been accused of refusing to replicate plans in England to extend free childcare to nine-month-old children, after he declined to answer the question in the Senedd.

Mark Drakeford criticised the proposals, saying the UK government will be "very lucky" if it catches up with the Welsh system.

He said Wales provides more childcare per week than England does.

The chancellor announced the policy in his budget earlier this month.

It would see 30 hours free child care to children of working parents as young as nine months from September 2025 - but there are concerns over funding and staff recruitment.

Currently, Wales offers free childcare for three to five year olds of working parents for 30 hours a week.

It aims to extend this fully to two year olds under the co-operation deal with Plaid Cymru, and has begun offering some free childcare for two year olds through the Flying Start programme.

In first minister's question time in the Senedd Welsh Conservative group leader Andrew RT Davies accused Mr Drakeford of refusing to adopt the policy.

"Many people have come up to me over the weekend... assuming that it would be here in Wales as well," he told the Senedd.

The first minister was asked three times by Mr Davies whether Labour ministers would extend Wales' childcare policy. Mr Drakeford did not respond with a yes or no to the question.

"What we see is an attempt in England to catch up with services that are already available here in Wales," he said.

He called Jeremy Hunt's plan an aspiration, and said it was "carefully calibrated to make sure they land the other side of a general election".

Mr Drakeford said families get 30 hours of childcare in Wales for 48 weeks of the year, compared to 38 in England.

"We already do far more in Wales than they do in England, and they'll be very lucky indeed if they catch up with where we are already," he said.

He added: "That is what we are doing in Wales. I'm not copying anybody else. This is devolved Wales where we make our own decisions."

Mr Davies accused Mr Drakeford of refusing to adopt UK government policies.

"When it comes to childcare, you refuse to bring a universal offer for childcare in to support families the length and breadth of Wales," he added.

"The chancellor's childcare commitment took a major step in getting people back into the workforce, Wales can't be left behind," Mr Davies said in a statement issued after the exchange.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies' David Phillips said the budget would trigger consequential funding for the Welsh government of £180m over two years, mostly because of the childcare plans.