HC Deb 19 July 1995 vol 263 cc1525-6W
Ms Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spends on(a) child care provision for under-fives and (b) out-of-school provision for the over-fives, both directly, excluding provision for departmental staff, and indirectly through resources made available to local authorities and other organisations; what form of provision is provided; and how many full-time and part-time places are provided. [35550]

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The Scottish Office supports the provision of various forms of day care through the urban programme and through grants under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. In 1994–95, over £6.7 million was made available from these sources. Local enterprise companies are also now funding child care projects for children under five and also for older children. The Government have in addition put some £45 million into expanding after-school care and this is being delivered in Scotland through local enterprise companies.

Within the local authority expenditure settlement for 1994–95 provision of £28.106 million was made for day care for children.

The latest available information about the form and level of day care provision in Scotland at March 1994 is follows:

Number of places
Day nurseries 116,000
Playgroups 43,335
Childminders 31,797
1 Estimated