§ Dr. MarekTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Kenneth CarlisleThere are some 750 locations throughout the United Kingdom employing MOD civil servants, most of which have less than 200 members of staff. The Department has full-time nurseries in central London and in Farnborough. A number of holiday play schemes have been set up in several different locations.
The charges for parents for places in the London nursery are either £45 or £55 per week according to the grade of the parent. The charge at Farnborough is £40 per week. Further child care projects are under consideration. The funding of these projects will depend upon their assessed cost-effectiveness when seen against other demands on resources.