I want to begin by recognising the importance that families have to our society and the importance of supporting families in our communities, especially those with young children.

Time and time again, I have heard the difficulties that many families face, the rising cost of living, barriers to home ownership, and the high cost of childcare.

Childcare costs are such an incredibly high barrier for economic growth. It puts people off having children as many couples cannot afford the cost which in turn leads to a declining birth rate and, as a result, a depleted workforce resulting in an over reliance on immigration.

Shockingly, the average yearly cost of a full-time nursery place for a two year old in Wales is £14,515. It is no wonder that so many women decide to leave the workforce as it isn’t beneficial for them to work.

I am proud of the Conservative Government in Westminster who recognised this barrier and significantly expanded the free childcare entitlement in England.

This means that children as young as nine months get 15 hours free childcare provided the parents both work.

This support just isn’t there in Wales despite the fact that the Welsh Government received the equivalent funding to roll this programme out here.

One of my constituents is paying £981 per month for three days a week of childcare compared to one of their friends who lives just across the border in England and pays the equivalent of just £225 a month for the same amount of care.

This amounts of just over £750 difference.

This is not uncommon.

Parents of a child under two in Wales can end up spending an average of more than £2,269 per year more than if they lived across the border in England.

The Welsh Government is leaving parents in Wales in limbo, trying to stretch their budgets, unable to afford to work but also being unable to afford not to.

The Welsh Conservatives believe that we must support our young families and that they should not be punished for living in Wales.

That is why we want to match the scheme in England, to ensure that there is equity across both sides of the borders for young families.