Child Care (Hansard, 4 July 2002)

§ Brian Cotter
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what child care provisions or schemes are made available to NHS staff. [64932]
576W

§ Mr. Hutton
A national survey of national health service child care provision, undertaken early in 2001, found that 114 NHS trusts provided nursery facilities for their staff. The NHS child care strategy aims to develop a further 150 on-site nursery schemes by 2004. and over £70 million has been made available for this. 60 new nursery schemes were funded last year and a further 30 have had funding allocated already this year. In addition, we expect all new build hospitals to include an on-site nursery in its plans.
We are expanding the NHS child care strategy to cover other forms of child care and to ensure that all staff groups are included. We have pledged additional funding for NHS child care, building up to £100 million, to do this. Many NHS trusts already provide holiday play schemes and other forms of child care support, and we want to ensure that all NHS organisations help meet their staff's child care needs. In addition, all staff will have access to an NHS child care co-ordinator by April 2003, and we are providing funding to pump-prime these posts. Over 70 child care co-ordinators are already working in the NHS, developing local child care strategies, and providing advice and support to parents working in the NHS. A number of NHS trusts also provide child care vouchers to their staff.

§ Brian Cotter
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals within England provide creche facilities for their staff. [64929]

§ Mr. Hutton
A national survey of national health service child care provision, undertaken early in 2001, found that 114 NHS trusts provided nursery facilities for their staff. The NHS child care strategy aims to develop a further 150 on-site nursery schemes by 2004, and over £70 million has been made available for this. 60 new nursery schemes were funded last year and a further 30 have had funding allocated already this year. In addition, we expect all new build hospitals to include an on-site nursery in its plans.