§ Caroline FlintTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what child care provision was made available in the financial year 1998–99 for use by (i) his departmental staff and (ii) employees of executive agencies under the control of his Department; what was the cost to parents of this child care; and how many parents used the facilities. [108833]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Civil Service, as a whole, is striving for an improved balance between work and family life. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 15 February 2000,Official Report, columns 518–19W, which provides further details about the importance of family life policies to the Civil Service Reform programme.
During 1998–99, there were a total of 15 workplace nurseries available to my Departmental staff, with a further two in operation for staff employed in executive agencies. These facilities, together with a number of places purchased in off-site private nurseries, provided some 700 full-time places for children of civilian and, occasionally, Service personnel working in Ministry of 107W Defence establishments. The monthly cost to parents of a full-time place ranged from approximately £242 to £411 (depending on the location and level of departmental subsidy) for Departmental staff, and from approximately £320 to £340 for staff employed in executive agencies, giving an average monthly cost of £308. In addition, my Department subsidises a number of places in holiday play schemes for children of school age. Information about the number of personnel who used these facilities during 1998–99 is not kept centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Caroline FlintTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence in the last five years, what proportion of women employees in (i) his Department and (ii) executive agencies under the control of his Department,(a) returned to work after childbirth, (b) returned to work after childbirth before the end of maternity leave, indicating the (1) time-range and (2) mean time, (c) returned to work after childbirth on reduced working hours, indicating the average hours worked and (d) returned to work after childbirth full-time and subsequently reduced their hours. [109237]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Civil Service, as a whole, is striving for an improved balance between work and family life. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 15 February 2000,Official Report, column 519W, which provides further details about the importance of family life policies to the Civil Service Reform programme.
In respect of my Department, I regret that information on maternity leave and working patterns following maternity leave is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.