To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what childcare (a) provision and (b) assistance is available to his Department’s staff. (89460)

The Home Office provides childcare support as part of a range of work-life balance benefits for staff and in order to promote equality of opportunity. As part of the provision a limited number of subsidised workplace nursery and playscheme places are provided for staff in London, Croydon and Merseyside. The following table shows the nurseries and playschemes used. The Home Office also operates a Childcare Voucher salary sacrifice scheme. The scheme was introduced in June 2005 and is now available to all Home Office staff, including those working for the immigration and nationality Directorate and the prison service. Identity and passport service staff have access to a “salary plus” childcare voucher scheme. This provides eligible staff with childcare vouchers in addition to their salary to the value of £20 per week for pre-school children aged 0-4 and £15 per week for after school and holiday care for children aged 5-12. Additionally, IPS staff are able to use the Home Office salary sacrifice scheme to enable them to obtain the maximum benefit from the tax and National Insurance exemption. A separate table setting out the nursery and playscheme provision is also shown.