Question

To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, how many children can be accommodated by the House of Commons crèche; what proportion of that figure the average usage of the crèche was in each of the last three years; and what the net profit or loss of the crèche was in each of those years.

The House of Commons Nursery has the capacity to care for 40 children, of which no more than 15 can be under the age of two. In each of the last three years, average usage of the nursery was

2011/12: 25%;
2012/13: 31%;
2013/14: 41%.

Usage is highest at times of the week and times of the year when the House is sitting. Usage continues to increase with 14 new applications made at the end of July 2014.

The net cost of the Nursery was

2011/12: £120,160;
2012/13: £100,550;
2013/14: £32,170.¹

The increasing usage is expected to lead to the Nursery breaking even in this financial year.

¹ From 2013/14 some administrative work previously charged to the Nursery has been absorbed by the Diversity & Inclusion Team. This is estimated to have reduced the identified cost by some £12k.