§ 17. Mr. Farrasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the urgent need to encourage highly qualified married women, such as physiotherapists, to return to work on a part-time and a full-time basis, he will seek to amend the taxation law to facilitate this, bearing in mind their frequent need to employ full-time daily helps.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI must ask my hon. Friend to await my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.
§ Mr. FarrIs it not wrong that highly-skilled women should stay idly at home, and does not the whole nation lose in the long run?
§ Mr. JenkinMany of the highly skilled women to whom my hon. Friend refers would hardly describe themselves as staying idly at home, but I take my hon. Friend's point.
§ Mrs. Lena JegerWhatever the Chancellor has to say this afternoon, will the Government bear in mind the income tax position of the employed full-time daily help who, together with her husband, may be trying to bring up a family on a far lower income than that of her employer?
§ Mr. JenkinIt is right to point out to the hon. Lady that the tax treatment of married women below the surtax level is a good deal more favourable than if the husband and wife were single.