§ Ms ArmstrongTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much his Department spends on1418W (a) child care provision for under-fives and (b) out-of-school provision for the over-fives, both directly, excluding provision for departmental staff, and indirectly through resources made available to local authorities and other organisation; what form of provision is provided; and how many full-time and part-time places are provided. [35549]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe Department's only direct spending on child care provision for under-fives and out-of-school provision for over-fives, is limited to provision for departmental staff.
My Department does not make resources available to local authorities specifically for child care. My Department is responsible for distributing revenue support grant to English local authorities. Local spending decisions on child care are, however, a matter for each local authority. It is likely that some local child care and out-of-school provision is supported through commitments under the single regeneration budget and, since March 1995, under the single regeneration budget challenge fund, although this information is not held centrally.