§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what studies her Department has made of the numbers of married women in professional and managerial grades who do not work full time on account of the amalgamation of husbands' and wives' incomes for the purposes of tax assessment; and whether she will publish the results.
§ Mr. FernyhoughAlthough the effects of amalgamating marital incomes for tax purposes were not specifically studied, the Survey of Women's Employment in a national sample of 10,000 households commissioned by the Ministry of Labour in 1965, produced some indication of women's attitudes on this matter. Women interviewed during the survey were asked directly about the attractions and drawbacks for married women in going out to work. The attraction most frequently named was the financial one.
The principal reasons given by married women for not going to work were the absence of need or wish to work, the need to look after children, and other domestic commitments. About 1 per cent. mentioned financial drawbacks. 85 per cent. of women—married and single—in professional and managerial occupations were working full-time compared with 62 per cent. of all working women.