§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what provision his Department makes for child care facilities for staff; what subsidy is provided for(a) nursery places and (b) holiday 781W play schemes; if he will list the organisations used by his Department for child care; and if child care vouchers are made available to staff. [30015]
§ Mr. Tony LloydThis Department currently subsidises nursery places for 23 children (aged three months to five years) of FCO staff as well as places at a holiday play scheme which are available to all staff.
The Department subsidies places by 50 per cent. at two nurseries in London run by the Westminster Children's Society. It subsidises places at an in-house nursery in Hanslope Park by 30 per cent. and subsidises places at the Civil Service Westminster Holiday Play Scheme, run by Kinderquest Ltd, by 50 per cent.
The provision of subsidised child care by this Department is one of a number of family policies designed to promote the retention of staff during their child caring years. The Department does not provide child care vouchers to staff.