Question

To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will take steps to provide crèche services for the children of hon. Members, staff and visitors.

The House of Commons operates an onsite nursery, available to Members, their staff and staff of each House. Based on consultation with Members, the facility was specifically set up as a nursery, rather than a crèche, to meet the needs of Members and their children, some of whom might be facing long hours in a stranger’s care, reflecting Members’ work pressures.

Professor Sarah Childs’ report, ‘The Good Parliament’, includes a recommendation for a crèche as well as a nursery. The recommendations in this report are being explored further under the auspices of the Commons Reference Group on Representation and Inclusion.