§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what provision has been made in the current year for out-of-school hours activities(a) in general and (b) by training and enterprise councils. [19107]
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§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe Department makes funds available for after-school childcare under the Out of School Childcare Initiative (OSCI). The Initiative is delivered locally by Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) who have drawn up strategic plans which best meet the needs of their local labour market. For 1997–98 we made £4.1 million available under OSCI to create 7,200 new places.
We have made a further £50 million available for OSCI over the next five years as part of the £300 million investment in childcare announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. For 1998–99, this means that funding has more than doubled (from £4.1 million to £10.1 million) and will create 20,000 new places. The Initiative has already created some 78,000 places and offers parents, especially women, the opportunity to participate more fully in the labour market by increasing the supply of good quality, affordable out of school childcare.