§ Mr. David HowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the level and standards of provision of workplace child care facilities in different member countries of the European Community.
§ Mr. NichollsMy right hon. Friend has no comparable data on the extent of workplace child care facilities for all member countries of the European Community.
Such information as my right hon. Friend has is contained in the European Commission April 1988 Consolidated Report "Childcare and Equality of Opportunity". This shows that most countries have some childcare services provided by employers and that services are most common in the public sector.
Workplace facilities are not always the most practical method of child care provision.