§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what childcare provision is made available by his Department for the use of staff; what is the cost to parents of this childcare; how many parents used the facilities in the financial years(a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98; and what proportion of total staff used these facilities in the financial years (i) 1996–97 and (ii) 1997–98. [59727]
§ Mr. FatchettThis Department is currently providing 29 nursery places for children aged from 3 months to 5 years. In addition, holiday playschemes are available during school holidays. Parents pay an average of £83.50 per week for nursery places and £8.06 per day to holiday playschemes.
The FCO records information about childcare on a calendar year basis. In 1996, 155 staff used FCO childcare facilities. This number included members of the then Overseas Development Administration. This represented 1.85 per cent. of total staff in the FCO and ODA at that time.
In 1997, 50 parents used these facilities: some of them used the facilities for more than one child or in the case of the Holiday Playscheme on more than one occasion. This represented 0.7 per cent. of total FCO staff.