§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps her Department is taking to encourage employers to provide creche facilities in the west midlands.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe Department encourages employers throughout the country to adopt family-friendly employment policies including flexible working and help with childcare, through publications such as "The Best of Both Worlds". The new out-of-school child care grant, delivered by training and enterprise councils TECs, will create some 50,000 new child care places for school-aged children over the next three years. TECS in the west midlands will be playing their part in this initiative, with a variety of local initiatives to encourage employer involvement in child care.