§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission (1) what child care facilities are currently available in the House of Commons;
(2) what studies he has undertaken of child care facilities in other Parliament buildings; and what conclusions he has drawn from this;
(3) what is his estimate of the number of pre-school child care places needed in the Palace of Westminster by (a) staff and (b) hon. Members; and what surveys have been done to determine likely need.
§ Mr. Beith[holding answer 24 April 19951]: I refer the hon. Member to the debate on child care facilities held on 12 January, Official Report, columns 323–45, and to the report on potential demand for child care facilities published by the House of Commons Commission in July 1994. Following the debate, the commission considered its policy on child care facilities and decided to implement a child care voucher scheme for staff of the House of Commons Service under arrangements set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mrs. Maddock) on 2 March 1995, Official Report, column 637. No studies of child care facilities in other Parliament buildings have been undertaken.
Staff of the House have now been circulated with details of the voucher scheme, which will operate with effect from 1 April 1995.