Responding to the Government's rollout of free childcare hours, Liberal Democrat MP for Somerton and Frome Sarah Dyke said: "I visited Acorn Day Nursery in Somerton recently to talk to parents and staff about what the Government's childcare expansion will mean for them.

"Nursery owner Katryn Bennett receives £5.23 per hour per child from the Government for the three- and four-year-olds in her care, but rising overheads mean that each hour costs her between £7.50 and £8.

"Is it any wonder that more than 3,000 childcare providers closed in the last year alone?

"For parents, the free hours are useless if they can't find a nursery place for their child or if the additional charges that providers are having to levy in order to stay afloat make childcare unaffordable for them.

" I spoke to lots of parents in Somerton who won't be able to make use of the free hours because of the additional costs they'd need to pay.

"Instead of plunging families into even more chaos, the Government should take up the Liberal Democrats' clear and properly-funded plan to ensure all parents can access childcare that is flexible, affordable and fair."