MPs debated the controversy over holiday companies charging extra during school holidays after an e-petition received almost 170,000 signatures.
And Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney has pressed for an inquiry into travel costs associated with peak holiday times.
The debate was sparked by an e-petition highlighting the importance of “family time”, and raised concerns about holiday companies “cashing in on school holidays”.
Almost 1,000 parents were fined by Kirklees Council last year for taking their children on holiday in term time.
As the debate got underway in the House of Commons yesterday, MrJason McCartney pressed the Transport Select Committee inquiry about the cost.
He told the Examiner: “You only have to look at holiday price grids to see the prices exceptionally increase during the school holidays.
“At my advice surgery on Saturday in Brockholes one parent raised it with me and I’ve heard from eight or nine parents recently.
“It’s a question of what the government can do as there are lots of elements to it.
“School priorities should be to provide good quality education for children, they don’t want to be worrying about children disappearing throughout the year.
“But parents want to be able to take a holiday with their children, they want to be able to have some quality time and perhaps it may also be educational, but they’re restricted because of the cost and time.”
The MP, a father of two, says he is very aware of the hike in prices, not only for holidays but also cinema trips in times accessible for children.
He added: “This has been an issue for decades, but it’s obviously become more poignant because schools now have a clear policy and parents can be fined for their children missing school.”
He said there were lots of different ways for Parliament to explore the issue and the Select Committee was one of them.
The e-petition said: “Family time is so much more essential in the current working world, but so many people cannot afford holidays in school holidays.
“A break at home is not the same as getting away from it all where there isn’t any house work or DIY to get done, instead focus is on family. It’s time to stop the holiday companies cashing in on school holidays and let parents have some guilt free family time!
“Enforce action that caps the percentage increase on holiday prices in school holidays.”
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