Childcare closures treble on last year

Three times as many childcare places closed in 2004-05 as in the previous year, according to figures released by children's minister Beverley Hughes. During a debate on the Childcare Bill in the House of Commons last week, shadow childcare minister Paul Goodman cited statistics Ms Hughes had provided in a written answer, which showed that in 2004-05 the number of full daycare places closed was 65,577, up from 7,627 in 2003-04, while last year she said 72,222 out-of- school and 62,972 childminding places were closed.