To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister, pursuant to AQW 49611/11-16, (i) for a breakdown of how they intend to spend the remainder of the Executive’s Childcare Fund; (ii) whether they have any plans for expenditure outside the Bright Start programme; and (iii) for a timeframe for expenditure.

To date £4.2 million has been spent out of the Executive’s Childcare Fund. It has been agreed that the balance of the childcare fund should be used to resource the Key First Actions contained in the initial phase of the Childcare Strategy. The Bright Start School Age Childcare Grant Scheme was launched on 27 March 2014 and the letters of offer issued to childcare settings are for a three year period. There have been two rounds of Bright Start funding to date with £3m already committed under the scheme; a third round of funding opened for applications on 26 November. It is anticipated that Bright Start funding will continue until 2018/19.

Other Key First Actions have enhanced childcare services for children with a disability and improved the information available to parents on the childcare services available locally.