§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated cost of providing whole-day care for the under-fives to cover the whole of Northern Ireland and to meet the demand from those who would want it.
§ Mr. CarterThe precise demand for whole-day care for the under-fives in Northern Ireland is not known and the cost of providing day care varies from one type to another. Research into the attitudes of mothers of young children to pre-school provision and the need for such provision is however currently being undertaken by the Ulster College on behalf of the Equal Opportunities Commission.
The Government intend to issue a White Paper on this subject later this year setting out the direction for the future development of these services.