20/06/06

The truth about Tory Childcare

JACQUI SMITH MP, today responded to David Cameron’s speech today to the National Family and Parenting Institute, said:

“Yet again, we have proposals from David Cameron ‘floated’ today with absolutely no detail on how to pay for them.

“Labour currently gives an average of £50 a week in tax relief to the 375,000 working mums who need the most support with their childcare. If we were to spread that money thinly across all working mums, it would mean an average of just £5 a week per household.

“So David Cameron is not proposing a tax break – he’s proposing a slap in the face for hard-working families, with lower-income mums losing out the most.

“Unless the Tories are proposing extra spending, which is simply not credible from a party pledged to cuts.”

Jacqui Smith added:

“Let’s not forget that Labour has also introduced a £55-a-week tax exemption for employer-supported childcare, and free part-time nursery education for all three and four-year olds – investment that was opposed by the Tories.

“And it is Labour that is giving mums and dads more choice over how they balance their work and family life through increased maternity leave, paid paternity leave and the right to request flexible working - all measures David Cameron opposed."

“What’s more, the increased generosity of tax credits compared to the Tories’ Family Credit has not only made work pay but has improved substantially the financial position of couples on low or moderate incomes where one partner chooses to stay at home to look after their children.”

ENDS