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Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

Clause 195 sets out the budgetary framework for the provision of early years education for young children in England. An enormous number of regulations is referred to in this clause. The concern that this amendment seeks to probe is how these regulations will ensure that local authorities use their new powers to fund early-years providers in a way which safeguards centres of excellence. There are many extremely good providers of early-years education. Local authorities that have them in their areas know who they are. Many of them are maintained nurseries, headed up by highly qualified, specialist early-years teachers. Some of them are run by the voluntary sector and some of them are private. We believe that quality early-years provision can be delivered only when the staff are well trained to understand how children's brains and personalities develop and how to respond to them when they reach each stage of development. There has been much debate about this in the press in the past week, particularly since the Cambridge primary review was published. I believe that education that takes account of child development and how children learn best is what is needed to help children fulfil their potential and avoid turning them off education for good. But this expertise comes at a price; my concern is that those settings that have the vision to employ teachers with their knowledge and expertise are not disadvantaged by the new arrangements. I hope that the Minister can reassure me that local authorities will be able to ensure that these centres of excellence do not suffer under Clause 195. I beg to move.