To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail (i) the amount of the £55 million early learning and childcare funding being allocated to her Department; and (ii) the amount her Department has budgeted on spending by the end of the 2025-26 financial year.

My Department secured £415,000 for childcare skills pathways and is on target to spend the full amount by the end of the financial year.

Separately, the Education Minister has allocated £2 million for Childcare Sector Business Support actions arising from the Targeted Business Support Market Research. DfE is leading on recommendation 1 of that Research: "the creation of a specialised ongoing childcare business advisor role or service”.

My officials are working closely with Invest NI to develop a costed delivery plan, with a view to launching a pilot service in this financial year.

The funding required from the Department of Education for this financial year to deliver the childcare business advisory service will be informed by the costed plan.