§ Dr. MarekTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of workplaces for civil servants in his Department; what proportion of the total number have an on-site nursery facility; how many and what proportion of workplaces provide a holiday play scheme; how many and what proportion of workplaces provide after-school child care facilities; what charges are made for use of any facility; what the net cost has been for the provision of these facilities; and what estimate he can make of any future expenditure.
Mr. JacksonThe Employment Department Group has approximately 2,000 workplaces for civil servants, many of which are small local offices comprising 10 to 30 staff; at present we have one on-site nursery facility running in Bootle; 28 workplaces provide holiday play schemes; there are no after-school child care facilities provided at present. All parts of the group are actively pursuing initiatives to increase child care provision. The Department will continue to consider sympathetically proposals for child care facilities and, where possible, will provide practical help where there is evidence of sufficient demand to make it financially viable. Staff who wish to take advantage of play schemes and nurseries are required to contribute to running costs. Central records are not kept concerning individual costs involved and could not be obtained without incurring a disproportionate cost; any future estimate of expenditure again cannot be gathered without incurring disproportionate costs. The diversity of workplaces within the group and their relative size often means that workplace provision is not viable. In some locations the Department is working with other Government Departments and outside industry to take child care provision forward. At present there are about seven schemes under consideration in this category.