§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision her Department makes for child care facilities for staff; what subsidy is provided for(a) nursery places and (b) holiday play schemes; if she will list the organisations used by her Department for child care; and if child care vouchers are made available to staff. [30016]
§ Mr. Paul Murphy[holding answer 19 February 1998]In the Northern Ireland Civil Service, current policy is that Departments can contribute to staff child care costs where this is justified on value for money grounds. The following subsidies are provided:
(a)The Department of the Environment provides a subsidy of 35% of the weekly fees, up to a maximum of £30 towards the cost of placing a child in a registered nursery of the employee's choice. The Child Support Agency also provide a subsidy of £30 per week for placement in a registered nursery. The Department of Education has been running an emergency child care subsidy scheme for a trial period of one year form May 1997. This provides for the actual cost of emergency child care by a registered provider for a maximum of 2 days on any one occasion, limited to 4 occasions in a year.
286W(b)The Department of Finance and Personnel provides a subsidy of 50% of accommodation costs and 40% of staff costs for 8 holiday play schemes.
In the Northern Ireland office a child care voucher scheme for London-based staff provides a contribution of £100 per month for pre-school child care costs. A similar scheme is being introduced for Belfast-based staff.
As part of the proposals for the National Child Care Strategy my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary has asked the Inter-Departmental Group on Early Years to consider the child care provision made by Government Departments in Northern Ireland for their staff.