§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision his Department makes for child care facilities for staff; what subsidy is provided for(a) nursery places and (b) holiday play schemes; if he will list the organisations used by his Department for child care; and if child care vouchers are made available to staff. [30014]
§ Mr. SpellarMy Department and its agencies currently provide 13 workplace nurseries offering some 500 fulltime places, as well as a number of holiday play schemes. This is in line with Civil Service policy to establish child care support arrangements for staff where there is a business case and value for money justification. This enables us to help many of our staff to combine their working lives with family responsibilities. Child care vouchers are not issued to MOD staff. Parents are required to make a contribution to the running costs of child care facilities. Details of the Department's expenditure on child care support are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Organisations currently providing child care services to the MOD are:
- Busy Bees Nurseries Ltd.
- Childcare Enterprises Ltd.
- Going Solo Ltd.
- Kinderquest Ltd.
- Little Darling Childcare
- Mini Mariner Nursery
- Pixieland Daycare Nurseries
- Yeovilteenies Nursery.