Closed petition Make nurseries exempt from business rates to support the childcare sector
After owning nurseries for 29 years I have never experienced such damaging times for the sector with rising costs not being met by the funding rates available. Business Rates are a large drain on the sector and can mean the difference between nurseries being able to stay open and having to close.
More details
Early years education has endured more than enough hardship, closures, job losses by the government letting us down by not supporting the industry in the way it should be. The Government is putting money into early years through funded hours – which doesn’t cover costs – but then takes this back through business rates. This system needs changing. Private and voluntary run nurseries are being slaughtered. It’s enough now.
This petition is closed All petitions run for 6 months
Parliament debated this topic
This topic was debated on 25 June 2020
Government responded
This response was given on 2 April 2020
Nurseries in England will pay no business rates this year.
In response to COVID-19, on 18 March the Chancellor announced that non-local authority providers of childcare in England will benefit from a business rates holiday for one year from 1 April.
Properties that will be eligible for the holiday will be those occupied by providers on Ofsted’s Early Years Register and are wholly or mainly used for the provision of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Guidance for local authorities on the business rates holiday for nurseries is available online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-nursery-childcare-discount-2020-to-2021-coronavirus-response-local-authority-guidance
Any queries should be directed to the relevant local authority. Local authorities will be fully compensated for the cost of this measure. Business rates are devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
HM Treasury
Related activity
MPs investigate the economic impact of coronavirus
A cross-party group of MPs called the Treasury Committee are investigating the economic impact of coronavirus, including business rate holidays.
You can find out more on the Treasury Committee's webpage: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/224/economic-impact-of-coronavirus/
You can follow the Treasury Committee on Twitter for updates: @CommonsTreasury
What is the Treasury Committee?
The Treasury Committee looks at and questions how the Treasury:
- is run
- spends money
- decides on its policies
You can find out more about the Treasury Committee on its website: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/treasury-committee/
This is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c
Further Information
You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/
Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here:
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
Share your experiences and concerns about childcare and the coronavirus outbreak
The Petitions Committee (the group of MPs who oversee the petitions system) has been looking into the impact of coronavirus on maternity leave, and heard concerns from many parents about finding childcare.
They’d like to hear more about how the outbreak has affected both childcare providers and parents.
If you are a childcare provider, or work for a nursery, please share your views and experiences via this short survey: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/QG8YPT/
If you are a parent currently on maternity, adoption or shared parental leave, please share your views and experiences via this survey: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CHRADM/
They’d like to hear from you ideally by Monday 18 May 2020. Your answers will help them to understand the issues people are facing and what questions MPs need to ask the Government. They might publish some or all of your responses, or read them out when they’re asking questions in a public Committee meeting or in the House of Commons. So please don’t share any personal information that you don’t want to be public.
The Committee will be questioning a number of witnesses in the coming weeks, including representatives of childcare providers. We'll email you again to let you know more information and how you can watch the sessions.
What is the Petitions Committee?
The Petitions Committee is a cross-party group of MPs that considers e-petitions submitted on Parliament’s petitions website and public (paper) petitions presented to the House of Commons. It's a cross-party committee and is independent of the Government.
You can get updates on their work by following the Committee on Twitter
@HoCpetitions or on their
website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/
This is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c
Find out more about how petitions work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGEOraE08Jk&feature=youtu.be
Petitions Committee to hold evidence session to examine parental leave and maternal mental health
The Petitions Committee (the group of MPs who oversee the petitions system) have scheduled a virtual evidence session on Thursday 21 May at 9.30am on the urgent crisis of maternal mental health in lockdown and the impact of the virus on access to childcare. It will also look at the impact on adoption leave.
Watch the session live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqMKtR-pt0A
Ahead of the session, the Committee asked petitioners to share their experiences on childcare and returning to work. Thank you to all of those who completed the surveys. Your feedback will help inform the Committee's ongoing work on this subject.
On Thursday the Committee will hear from:
Alain Gregoire, Chair, Maternal Mental Health Alliance
Dr Trudi Seneviratne OBE, Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Faculty of Perinatal Psychiatry
Josie Anderson, Campaigns and Policy Manager, Bliss
Sue Armstrong Brown, Chief Executive, Adoption UK
Neil Leitch, Chief Executive, Early Years Alliance
The Committee has also received written evidence on this issue from organisations and individuals. You can read them here: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/192/the-governments-response-to-coronavirus/publications/written-evidence/
What is the Petitions Committee?
The Petitions Committee is a cross-party group of MPs that considers e-petitions submitted on Parliament’s petitions website and public (paper) petitions presented to the House of Commons. It is independent of the Government.
You can get updates on their work by following the Committee on Twitter
@HoCpetitions or on their website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/
This is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c
Find out more about how petitions work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGEOraE08Jk&feature=youtu.be
Petitions Committee to put concerns about impact of lockdown on parents and babies to the Government
The Petitions Committee will be questioning the Government on the impact of coronavirus on those on parental leave in an upcoming online evidence session. More details will be announced shortly.
This session continues the Committee’s ongoing inquiry into the Government’s response to Coronavirus. The Committee’s questions to the Government have been informed by unprecedented levels of engagement from petitioners and other members of the public on this issue, particularly the impacts on maternal mental health, childcare and maternity leave. Thousands of petitioners have completed our surveys which have helped the Committee to understand the issues petitioners are facing, and it is very grateful for everyone’s contributions.
One of our surveys, which received over 12,000 responses, found that 78% of respondents have been unable to find and secure suitable childcare to allow them to return to work. 81% told us they were considering delaying their return to work as a result, with 80% of these being offered no options at all to extend their leave by their employer. Many of you reported using your annual leave allowance to delay your return, but some noted this would prevent them taking any further holiday once lockdown conditions had been lifted.
You can read a summary of what petitioners told us about their experiences here: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/5350/default/.
A separate survey found that less than 3% of nurseries felt they would be able to reopen with the same capacity as before, with nearly 7% believing they would not be able to reopen at all in light of the current coronavirus crisis. In the survey, which was sent to childcare providers and employees who had signed relevant petitions, over 70% of providers said they either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the UK Government’s plans to reopen from 1 June.
This information helped the Committee when questioning experts on the impact of lockdown on maternal mental health, access to childcare, and maternity pay on 21 May. You can watch this session and read the transcript here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/146495/petitions-committee-questioned-experts-on-maternal-mental-health-adoption-and-childcare/
These recent surveys were used to dig deeper into issues first raised in the Committee’s evidence session on the extension of maternity leave on 7 May. Ahead of that session, the Committee had received over 27,000 responses to a survey of petitioners, and over 25,000 responses to a Facebook post- a record for the House of Commons Facebook page. You can find more information about the first session here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/146332/petitions-committee-investigate-the-impact-of-coronavirus-on-students-and-on-maternity-leave/
Chair of the Petitions Committee, Catherine McKinnell MP said:
“The Petitions Committee has seen unprecedented levels of engagement on maternal mental health, childcare and maternity leave with tens of thousands of people sharing their views and concerns. The Coronavirus is having a huge impact on families in many different ways and hearing personal stories and feedback is informing our inquiry and allowing us to better understand why people are signing these petitions.
“The evidence we collect drives the direction of our inquiries and ensures that we are challenging the Government on these issues effectively. We will be holding our next evidence session on this topic later this month, where we will question Government Ministers and hold them to account on this very issue.
“The Petitions Committee is determined to continue to investigate the impact COVID-19 is having on all communities. As Members of Parliament, we will continue to collect evidence, press for answers, and scrutinise the Government’s response as our country continues to fight this pandemic.”
What is the Petitions Committee?
The Petitions Committee is a cross-party group of MPs that considers e-petitions submitted on Parliament’s petitions website and public (paper) petitions presented to the House of Commons.
It's a cross-party committee and is independent of the Government.
You can get updates on their work by following the Committee on Twitter
@HoCpetitions or on their website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/
This is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c
Find out more about how petitions work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGEOraE08Jk&feature=youtu.be
Petitions Committee to question the Government on maternity leave and pay on Thursday 11 June
The Petitions Committee will hold a virtual evidence session on Thursday 11 June at 14:30 to question Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets, Paul Scully MP.
Watch the session live here: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/5859f062-7772-40c3-83c5-055ae87df55d
This session will see the Petitions Committee question the Minister on crucial issues regarding maternity leave and pay raised by petitioners and experts as the UK enters its 12th week since lockdown began. This is the latest in a series of sessions prompted by a petition calling on the Government to extend maternity leave by 3 months with pay in light of COVID-19, which has received over 224,000 signatures to date.
Read the petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/306691.
Chair of the Petitions Committee, Catherine McKinnell MP, will lead the session, where Members of Parliament will put questions to the Minister on overarching issues raised by petitioners and experts since the start of the pandemic. This evidence will inform the Committee’s report on this issue, which will recommend actions the Government should take to address petitioners’ concerns.
Watch the Petitions Committee question the Government on maternity leave and pay on YouTube
Tomorrow, Thursday 11 June at 2.30pm, the Petitions Committee will question Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets, Paul Scully MP.
Watch the session live:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/ljZyh73pKjE
Parliament TV: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/5859f062-7772-40c3-83c5-055ae87df55d
Read the petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/306691
Update on Petitions Committee’s work on parental leave and covid-19
Last week, the Petitions Committee held its final oral evidence session, questioning Business Minister Paul Scully MP, on the impact of coronavirus on those on parental leave and the Government’s response to the petition.
You can watch the session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljZyh73pKjE&feature=youtu.be
Find out more here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/146749/petitions-committee-has-questioned-the-government-on-maternity-leave-and-pay-after-unprecedented-public-engagement/
The session came just two days after the Government’s decision to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) cut-off date for those returning from leave after 10 June, but as thousands of you have shared with the Committee through surveys or online posts there are still many challenges facing new parents, and many who have no options to extend their leave.
Read more about eligibility for the CJRS: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-which-employees-you-can-put-on-furlough-to-use-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
Next steps
The Committee will now produce a report, bringing together everything you have shared with us, the evidence of everyone who has appeared in virtual sessions, and the charities and support groups who have given written submissions.
The Committee will report its findings and make recommendations to the Government, who will then need to respond and decide whether and how to act on them.
The Committee understands the urgency of this issue for all of the parents who have signed this petition and engaged with the inquiry, and is working hard to publish this as soon as possible. You will receive another update as soon as the release date is confirmed.
In the meantime, you can contact your local MP to encourage them to put pressure on the Government on your behalf. Find their contact details here: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP
Once again, the Committee would like to thank everyone who has shared their experiences. This information has been vital in informing the work of the Committee so far, and will directly inform our recommendations to the Government.
MPs to debate petitions calling for support for UK industries in response to Covid-19
The Petitions Committee, which is the group of MPs who oversee the petitions system, has agreed to schedule a debate in the House of Commons Chamber on Thursday 25 June on petitions calling for support for UK industries in response to Covid-19.
The debate is being held in response to the huge number of petitions, including the one you signed, that call for the Government to provide support for UK industries in response to Covid-19.
The start time of the debate will depend on other parliamentary business, but you can follow the Petitions Committee on Twitter @HoCpetitions, where we will post updates on when we expect the debate to start.
You will be able to watch the debate live here: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/a7b6db44-6101-42c7-b2a0-32abd08b80ef
A transcript will be published the following day here: https://hansard.parliament.uk
Petitions Committee disappointed that Government has failed to respond urgently to report
Chair of the Petitions Committee, Catherine McKinnell MP has criticised the Government for failing to meet the Committee’s request to respond urgently to its report on the impact of Covid-19 on maternity and parental leave, which was published earlier this month.
In a letter published on 29 July from Paul Scully MP, Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets, the Government stated that a response to the Report from his department would not be possible before the House rose for Summer Recess on 22 July due to the need for careful consideration of recommendations and for discussions with counterparts in other relevant departments.
You can read the letter here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/2186/documents/20153/default/
Read the Chair’s full comment here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/147629/petitions-committee-chair-disappointed-in-governments-failure-to-respond-urgently-to-report-on-the-impact-of-covid19-on-maternity-and-parental-leave/
Petitions Committee Chair calls for urgent action from Government
Petitions Committee Chair Catherine McKinnell MP has written to a Government minister to implore the Government to recognise the urgency of the effect of COVID-19 on maternity leave and new parents, and to respond to the Committee’s recent landmark report on the critical issue ‘before it’s too late’.
Responding to the Government’s failure to respond to the report before Summer Recess, she urges the Minister to consider immediate action on several recommendations put forward by the Committee, and asks that the Government responds to the Committee’s report as soon as possible. The letter highlights that the issues raised in the Committee’s report have had a profound impact on parents now, with many being unable to wait until the autumn for a response.
Read the full letter here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/2249/documents/20688/default/
You can read the letter from Paul Scully MP, Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/2186/documents/20153/default/
Petitions Committee Chair challenges Prime Minister on Government response to maternity report
Petitions Committee Chair Catherine McKinnell MP has put petitioners' concerns to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Watch the session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv8SXHGIgWQ
Joining the Liaison Committee, a cross-party group of select committee Chairs, Ms McKinnell asked the Prime Minister about:
- The Government's response to the Committee's report on the impact of Covid-19 on maternity and parental leave
- The inclusion of children in new social distancing rules, and the implications for families and childcare settings
- Access to Covid-19 testing
The Petitions Committee will be writing to the Prime Minister to follow-up on his commitment to consider the report's recommendations. The Committee plans to debate the report and the Government's response on 5 October in Westminster Hall.
Follow us on Twitter for updates on our work on these issues: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions
Petitions Committee announces debate on maternity petition and writes to the Prime Minister
Following the announcement yesterday that Westminster Hall would reopen after its closure in March, the Petitions Committee has scheduled a debate on the impact of Covid-19 on maternity and parental leave on the day it reopens. This will take place on Monday 5 October from 4:30pm and Catherine McKinnell MP, Chair of the Committee, will open the debate.
Petitioners will be able to watch the debate online here: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Guide
You may wish to contact your MP to ask them to speak in the debate: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP
Following his appearance in front of the Liaison Committee last week, where the Chair asked him about the Government’s response to the maternity report, the Committee has written to the Prime Minister to ask him to read the report and respond before the debate.
You can read the letter here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/2698/documents/26693/default/
Watch the Chair question the Prime Minister at the Liaison Committee session here: https://youtu.be/mv8SXHGIgWQ?t=1815
The Committee has also written again to Paul Scully MP, Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets, to ask for an update on his department’s plans for meeting with representatives of the baby group sector. In the letter, the Committee highlights how the new restrictions on meetings of more than six people have caused further confusion to this sector, and requests urgent clarification.
You can read the letter here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/2699/documents/26695/default/
Follow the Committee on Twitter for updates on our work on this issue and others: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions
Petitions Committee announce follow-up session on the impact of covid-19 on new parents
The Petitions Committee will hear from petition creators and expert witnesses on the impact of covid-19 on new parents and childcare providers on Wednesday 14 July.
Watch the session (on Wednesday 14 July from 9.30am): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lERhUe98ASU&feature=youtu.be
The evidence session marks one year since the publication of the Committee's report into the impact of covid-19 on maternity and parental leave.
Read a summary of the Committee’s full report: https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/how-has-maternity-and-parental-leave-been-impacted-by-coronavirus-/index.html
The session will investigate what progress has been made against the problems identified and recommendations made to the Government in the report.
Witnesses include petition signatories, and representatives from campaign and sector bodies Pregnant then Screwed, the Early-Years Alliance, Adoption-UK and others. A full list of witnesses is available on the Petitions Committee website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/156378/committee-announces-evidence-session-on-the-impact-of-covid19-on-new-parents/
Survey on the impact of covid-19 on new parents
Last month, we asked you to share your experiences through an online survey to help inform the session. We also asked the experiences of Mumsnet users. Key findings from this engagement include:
- Access to baby and toddler groups, which provide vital support for both parents and children, remains limited even as restrictions ease. 68% of respondents told us they strongly disagreed with the statement that “I have been able to access baby and toddler groups over the past 12 months”
- 77% of respondents told us they strongly agree or agree with the statement that “The cost of childcare has prevented me from getting the kind of childcare I need”
- 72% of respondents who said they ran or worked for a childcare setting told us they expected the pandemic to have a major or moderate effect on their setting’s long-term financial sustainability
You can read a full summary of what new parents and childcare providers told us on our website: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/37718/pdf/
What are evidence sessions?
Evidence sessions are open meetings with experts, officials or people with personal experiences with the topic being examined. Evidence sessions help select committees like the Petitions Committee to understand how laws and Government policies are working in the real world, and what needs to change to make things better.
Further information
Find out more about the role of the Petitions Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/role/
Follow the Committee on Twitter for real-time updates on its work: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions
Find out more about select committees: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/committees/select/