§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of the(a) women who are mothers and (b) men who are fathers who are employed by his Department have received assistance from the Department with child care. [1283]
§ Mr. StreeterAlthough the civil service collects statistical information on staff employed in Government Departments and executive agencies, we do not collect information on the parental status of individual staff. It would be inappropriate for us to request this information from staff and difficult to justify the collection of such data. For the period 1 October 1995 to 30 September 1996, however, subsidised employee child care was provided for 94 women who are mothers and 26 men who are fathers in the Lord Chancellor's Department, Court Service and Public Trust Office. Help is also available with additional child care costs incurred owing to breaks in normal working patterns and special leave given to parents for domestic emergencies. Advice on finding child care is contained in the "Childcare Handbook" provided to all maternity leavers.