CHILDCARE FOCUS: Welsh Liberal Democrats pledged at their spring conference in Cardiff this weekend to offer 30 hours of free childcare weekly for children aged nine months to four years old.

Party leader Jane Dodds has already secured £30 million from the Welsh government’s budget for her help getting it through the Senedd. The money will extend the Flying Start programme to deliver childcare to all two-year-olds and increase support to childcare providers.

[EMBARGO 0.01, 7.4.25 ] TEACHERS FUND: It was announced today that schools in Wales will be able to use a £900,000 Welsh government fund to increase the numbers of teachers from  September.