§ Mr. Freesonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any surveys have been carried out by his Department into child care costs for single parents who want to work.
§ Mrs. ChalkerNo survey concerned specifically with such costs has been undertaken by the Department in recent years, but some information about the incidence and level of child care costs incurred by lone parents actually in employment has been provided by two more general research studies of lone parents receiving family income supplement. These were completed in 1976 and 1981 respectively. Further information about such costs is expected from a current study of the tapered earnings disregard which is applied to lone parents receiving supplementary benefit. This should be completed early in 1983.
§ Mr. Freesonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has evidence that single parents remain on supplementary benefit on the grounds that they are unable to afford child care costs when working as there is no tax relief for these.
§ Mrs. ChalkerNo, but the Department has commissioned a survey from the social policy research unit, York university, on the earnings disregard for single parents which is, among other things, examining child care costs. When the report is presented information on the possible disincentive effects of meeting these may become available.