Last week Welsh Assembly member Leanne Wood, who represents South Wales Central, tabled a motion calling for childcare facilities for working parents in the public sector to be improved and for the Welsh Assembly to lead the way by providing childcare for its staff and members.
Ms Wood, who is on maternity leave after the birth of a daughter, said, 'Public sector workers tend to work for lower pay than their counterparts in the private sector, and at the same time, childcare facilities are few and far between. While many public sector organisations already provide childcare, many, including the National Assembly, don't. We are soon to have a new state-of-the-art building, yet there will be no creche inside it. The Assembly should be leading the way.'
A Welsh Assembly spokesman said, 'All parties are backing the idea. We are circulating a questionnaire to the House Committee asking what people actually want and what would be made best use of.'
He said that the facility could offer full daycare for Welsh Assembly members and staff, and possibly visitors as well.
The issue will be debated by the House Committee on 15 July.
The new 70m National Assembly building opens in Cardiff early next year.
The Scottish Parliament opened a creche at its new Holyrood building last October, which it claims is the only facility of its kind in Europe. Its main purpose is to cater for the general public who can leave their children for up to three hours when they visit, but it also offers emergency childcare for staff and MSPs.
