§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision his Department makes for child care facilities for staff; what subsidy is provided for(a) nursery places and (b) holiday 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. [30006]
§ Ms JowellThe Department has made provision for subsidised nursery places and an on-site holiday play scheme in London, and an on-site nursery and a holiday play scheme, funded jointly with the Benefits Agency, in Leeds.
The Department provides subsidies as follows:
- (a) 50 per cent. of the cost of 25 nursery places in London and £30 per place per week for staff using a 30 place on-site nursery in Leeds;
- (b)£10.68 per place per day at a 24 place holiday play scheme in its headquarters building in London;
around £6 per place per day at a 40 place holiday play scheme jointly funded by the Department of Health and the Benefits Agency in Leeds;£6 per place for National Health Service Pensions Agency staff at a holiday play scheme in Fleetwood.The following organisations are used by the Department of Health for child care:
- Parents at Work1
- Kinderquest Ltd.
- Nurseryworks Ltd.
- Radius Educational Services Ltd.
- Childcare Partners Ltd.
- Westminster Children's Society
- 1 information service.
Child care vouchers are available to staff in the South and North Thames Regional Offices of the NHS Executive.