Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the merits of rewarding parents for looking after their own children in their formative years.

The Government is committed to supporting parents looking after children and does so in a number of ways throughout their formative years.

For instance, every year the Government spends more than £11bn on Child Benefit to support those families raising children. There is also a comprehensive crediting system in place to support those who cannot work due to illness or if they are caring for someone, including parents looking after a child under 12. These help maintain an individual's National Insurance record and so protect their entitlement to the basic State Pension and certain other state benefits.