§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish a special "under-fives initiative" 453W along the lines of proposals submitted to him by Chwarae Teg.
§ Mr. RichardsI expect to make an announcement on this shortly.
§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will extend beyond the next financial year the funding of the training and enterprise council out-of-school initiative.
§ Mr. RichardsThe out-of-school child care grant initiative was introduced in 1993 as a three-year pump-priming initiative to stimulate the market for child care for children of school age. There are no plans to extend the pump-priming period.
§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish a child care task force to draw up a child care action plan for Wales as proposed by the Equal Opportunities Commission in its report "Equal Opportunities Commission Evidence to the Welsh Office on EC Childcare Recommendations."
§ Mr. RichardsChwarae Teg already has a central role in stimulating and guiding actions to promote child care, working with relevant agencies in Wales. I am not convinced that a child care task force will make effective action more likely.
§ Mr Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to raise awareness among employers of the EC child care recommendation adopted by the Council of Ministers in March 1992.
§ Mr. RichardsI look to Chwarae Teg to lead action to raise awareness among employers. The Welsh Office's core funding for Chwarae Teg recognises this.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he will take on EC child care recommendations evidence from the Equal Opportunities Commission in Wales.
§ Mr. RichardsThe Equal Opportunities Commission's evidence will be taken into account in the Welsh Office contribution to the Government's report on the EC child care recommendation 1992.
I refer the hon. Member the the replies given to the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mr. Griffiths) today.