HC Deb 19 July 1995 vol 263 cc1434-5W
Ms Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spends on(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 organisations; what form of provision is provided; and how many full-time and part-time places are provided. [35554]

Mr. Howard

The information is not available precisely in the form requested. However, I can advise the hon. Member that the following kinds of provision are funded:

  1. (i) Ethnic minority grant (Wales)—there is a project in Wales which meets the costs of providing child care facilities for children of people attending training courses. For 1995–96, this amounts to £5,798.
  2. (ii) Section 11 grant—the costs of providing child care facilities are met in 12 projects. Some 14.75 posts are funded at an estimated cost of £77,000.
  3. (iii) Facilities for children in prisons—some creche and play scheme facilities exist in prisons for the benefit of children accompanying visitors. These are normally funded by the Governor's operational budget, but precise details of how much is spent are not held centrally and to compile them would incur disproportionate costs.