§ Judy MallaberTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost of the child care element of the working tax credit in(a) Derbyshire and (b) Amber Valley. [136778]
§ Dawn PrimaroloI have been asked to reply.
The number of families in each region, local authority and constituency receiving help with child care costs through tax credits at November 2002, and the average weekly amount of help, are shown in "Working Families' and Disabled Person's Tax Credit Statistics. Geographical Analysis".
The equivalent figures for each region at October 2003 are shown in "Child and Working Tax Credit Quarterly Statistics".
These publications can be found on the Inland Revenue web site, under www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/ stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.
The number of families in east Midlands receiving such help grew by nearly 60 per cent. between these two dates.
However, the figures for October 2003 are based on a sample of cases. The sample is too small to yield reliable estimates of the number of families in each local authority and constituency receiving help with child care costs at that date. Such figures based on an analysis of all working tax credit awards will be published next year.