The children's minister rejected criticism from Barry Sheerman, chairman of the Commons education and skills select committee, that children's centres were only being considered because they were a cheaper option.
"If you could get the money you would roll your Sure Start right across the country, would you not?" he asked.
Hodge said children's centres were part of the Sure Start initiative and said the programme did not need the very generous funding it enjoyed at the start.
Sure Start would be rolled out across the country through children's centres, she pledged.
"We are committed to doing that over time and hopefully as we develop our programme for the next term of government the timeframe will become clearer."
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