§ Miss Emma NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further measures his Department is taking to encourage workplace creches and other child care provision to enable mothers to return to work; and what representations he has had on this subject.
§ Mr. NichollsI am continuing to take every opportunity to encourage employers to help employees combine work and family responsibilities.
The Government welcome measures taken by employers including assistance with child care, flexible working hours, more part-time work and at higher occupational levels, and family leave. However, we believe that it is for employers and employees to decide which arrangements for combining work and family responsibilities best suit their individual needs and resources.
The Government are also taking steps to encourage the growth of childcare provision to assist working parents through the ministerial group on women's issues of which I am a member. The group recently announced progress on its five point plan designed to pave the way for the provision of child care to suit family needs. Within the last two years I and colleagues in the Employment Department have answered 12 questions in this House on this subject, received 29 letters from hon. Members and 34 from members of the public.
I have discussed the question of child care with my Advisory Committee on Women's Employment. This committee includes the chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission, my hon. Friend the Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe), the hon. Member for Barking, (Ms. Richardson), representatives of the CBI, TUC and the Women's National Commission. I have also had discussions with the National Council for One Parent Families, the Working Mothers Association, and Pre-School Playgroups Association, Gingerbread and the National Childminding Association.