Christopher Bloore:What steps she is taking to increase the number of school-based nursery places. \p Bridget Phillipson: School-based nurseries are a key part of delivering on our plan for change by making high-quality early years education more accessible and affordable, so that every child gets the best start in life. At the spending review, we announced almost £370 million for school-based nurseries, on top of the £37 million already awarded to schools. The Tories left a childcare pledge without a plan, but this Labour Government are delivering on promises made to families, saving working parents up to £7,500 a year. \p Steve Witherden: The Government have announced £37 million for the first round of schools to expand nursery provision, supporting the roll-out of the extended 30 hours childcare offer in England, but the Public Childcare Now campaign points out that nearly two thirds of the funded schools are part of multi-academy trusts. While we are fortunate not to have academies in Wales, concerns remain that this model encourages privatisation, reduces accessibility and undermines staff pay and conditions, contributing to greater educational fragmentation. What assurances can the Minister offer that expanding entitlements without investing in public infrastructure will not exacerbate these issues? \p Bridget Phillipson: I am delighted that so many academies are taking part in our school nursery programme. Academies drive innovation across our system and are an important part of the system we have. Of course, it was the last Labour Government who first brought about the academies programme to drive up performance in our schools and to make sure that all our children get a brilliant education. Sadly, we know that after 14 years of the Tories, far too many children, including in our most disadvantaged communities, do not get the education they deserve. That is why our schools White Paper later this year will make it a reality once and for all that they do. \p Andrew Lewin: Swallow Dell primary in Welwyn Garden City is a fantastic school. I have had the privilege of meeting the leadership team, who are ambitious for every single child. They have a state nursery as part of the school, but they are seeking to expand, and unfortunately their bid was rejected in the last round. I am passionate and hopeful that this school might be able to benefit from the £370 million of additional funding, not least because one in three children attending Swallow Dell is eligible for free school meals. My right hon. Friend knows my constituency well, and she is welcome to visit. I hope that she will agree to a meeting to talk about Swallow Dell’s bid for future funding. \p Bridget Phillipson: I join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to the workforce at Swallow Dell for everything they are doing to make sure our children get a brilliant start in life. I am sorry that they were not successful in the first phase. There was lots of demand, and that is why I am delighted that the spending review gave £370 million to ensure that we can make further progress towards our manifesto commitment. I would be delighted to discuss it further with him. \p Rachel Taylor: The Conservatives let down working parents by not having a plan for their pledge. I am proud of how this Labour Government have delivered to provide working families with 15 hours of Government-funded childcare and funding for new school-based nurseries, including at Keresley Newland primary academy in Bedworth, which I look forward to visiting in the autumn. I hope that the Secretary of State will be able to join me. Can she outline the role that school-based nurseries will play in ramping up to the 30 hours of Government-funded childcare this September, putting £7,500 back in the pockets of hard-working families across my constituency of North Warwickshire and Bedworth? \p Bridget Phillipson: I will certainly do my best to visit Keresley Newland, and I am delighted that it is taking part in our school-based nurseries programme. We are determined to make sure that every child gets the best start in life. We know that the early years are crucial, and that is why we have set an ambitious target of making sure that a record number of children at the end of the early years foundation stage are ready for the next step on their journey through the school system. The last Government made all kinds of promises to parents, but they did not fund them. In fact, they left behind a huge black hole in the public finances. [Interruption.] The right hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Laura Trott) should know that better than most, because she was in the Treasury.