§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action has been taken by his Department to implement the 1992 European Community recommendation on child care.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe Government welcome the recommendation, which is in tune with our policy of encouraging measures which allow parents to balance their work and family responsibilities. Since the recommendation was adopted in March 1992, we have introduced a major £45 million initiative to provide 50,000 extra out-of-school child care places for the over-fives. Shortly before the recommendation was adopted, we published the booklet, "The Best of Both Worlds" which illustrates with case studies a variety of flexible employment practices which can benefit working parents and employers alike. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, in his previous post as the Secretary of State for Wales, launched the Chwarae Teg or "Fair Play" initiative which brings together a partnership of the public, private and voluntary sectors to promote new child care provision and flexible working as part of a strategy to increase opportunities for women in the work force. We will continue to look for opportunities to promote a more family-friendly working environment.