Child Care (Hansard, 29 June 1992)

§ 34. Mr. Boyes
To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is his latest information on demand for nursery provision in the House.

§ 35. Ms. Ruddock
To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what progress has been made towards the establishment of a day nursery in the Palace of Westminster.

§ 37. Mr. Flynn
To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what proposals there are for the introduction of crèche facilities for the use of the families of hon. Members and staff in the House.

§ Ms. Armstrong
To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what representations he has received regarding the setting up of a crèche in the Palace of Westminster.

§ Mr. Beith
In its report of last Session, "New Parliamentary Building (Phase 2) The Sketch Plan"—HC 269—I—the Accommodation and Works Committee foresaw no accommodation suitable for a child care facility becoming available in the phase 2 building and concludedany crèche … would have to be located elsewhere in the parliamentary estate".
It was anticipated that other space, in some cases more appropriately located, could be found without undue delay in other buildings; and the Committee called upon 382W its successor to take up the issue as a high priority. In accordance with a request from the Commission, it is expected that the Accommodation and Works Committee will continue to seek to identify an appropriate location for such a facility.
Accommodation apart, responsibility for the provision of any child care facility falls to the Establishment Officers' Committee of the Board of Management and to the Administration Committee. Those two committees, the former acting on behalf of the Departments of the House and the latter on behalf of Members and their staff, continue to monitor developments in child care provision. They are advised by the Establishment Office, which keeps in touch with developments taking place in Whitehall, Westminster and elsewhere. A number of possible options in relation to the provision of child care facilities in the Westminster area have recently been proposed and are being investigated.
Once the feasibility of providing such a service is known and its size, nature and location identified, a survey of potential demand will be conducted.