§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if places on holiday play schemes and privately financed sports weeks are included within his Department's figures for the number of child care places created; and if he will list the number of such places included in, and the proportion they represent of, the total new child care places announced since May 1997. [111027]
§ Ms Hodge[holding answer 21 February 2000]: Since May 1997 we have announced the creation of 149,606 new child care places.
Between May 1997 and March 1999 a total of 73,316 new child care places were created. Most of these places were created through the Out of School Childcare Initiative (OSCI). We do not hold separate figures on holiday play schemes. Privately financed sport weeks would not have attracted OSCI funding.
Between April and September 1999 Early Years and Childcare Partnerships (EYDCPs) reported the creation of around 76,000 new child care places. Of these 29,724 (39 per cent.) were holiday play scheme places. Some 60 per cent. of these holiday places were in the voluntary sector, 25 per cent. were in the private sector and 15 per cent. were in the maintained sector. Some of the play scheme places in the private sector may have included privately financed sports weeks, but we do not hold separate figures.