§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked the Chairman of Committees:
Whether the Administration and Works Sub-Committee will recommend the provision of crèche facilities within the Palace of Westminster for staff of the House.
§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Boston of Faversham)The Administration and Works Sub-Committee have not considered this question. There is very limited accommodation available to the House of Lords, and the Clerk of the Parliaments has introduced a system of childcare vouchers to provide help for staff with children.
§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked the Chairman of Committees:
What is the amount currently given to staff of the House for childcare purposes; and whether they will now make this a non-tax deductible allowance.
10WA
§ Lord Boston of FavershamThe value of the childcare voucher was raised from £6 to £7 on 1 April. One voucher is payable per family per day in respect of childcare for children of pre-school age (and for children of school age during school holidays) where both parents are in work.
The allowance is subject to tax and any alteration of this status is a matter for the Board of Inland Revenue.
§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked the Chairman of Committees:
Further to his Written Answer of 11 November 1996 (WA 87), what evidence he has that the childcare voucher scheme is "very popular in its existing form" with staff of the House; how many staff were consulted; and whether any such questionnaire included an option of crèche facilities within the Palace of Westminster.
§ Lord Boston of FavershamNo formal survey has been conducted inviting recipients of childcare vouchers to comment on the scheme. Recipients are, however, all known individually to the Establishment Office and are known to be grateful for the assistance provided.
§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked the Chairman of Committees:
Whether the Administration and Works Sub-Committee will undertake a study to establish the need for crèche facilities within the Palace of Westminster; and, if not, why not.
§ Lord Boston of FavershamNo, in view of the limited accommodation within the Palace and the success of the childcare voucher scheme.
§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked the Chairman of Committees:
What information he has about the provision of childcare facilities in private industry and whether he will compare this to facilities in the House of Lords.
§ Lord Boston of FavershamBecause of the different circumstances, a comparison with childcare facilities in private industry would not be useful. In setting the value of the childcare voucher, regard is had to the level of similar provision made in both the private and the public sector.
§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked the Chairman of Committees:
What information he has about the provision of childcare facilities in the United States Congress and whether he will compare this to facilities in the House of Lords.
§ Lord Boston of FavershamI have no information on the provision of childcare facilities in the US Congress.