§ Ms HodgeTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions he has made of the effect the proposed increase in the child care disregard will have in 1996–97(a) on the number of women who will take up the disregard and (b) on the flowback to the Exchequer from bringing more women into the work force. [15222]
§ Mr. Roger EvansI have been asked to reply.
We estimate that, on average, between 5,000 and 10,000 families will benefit from the increase in the child care disregard. The behavioural effects of the increase, and the pace at which they occur, are uncertain. No specific assumption has been made as to the flowback to the Exchequer.