Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to encourage more working parents (a) in general and (b) who are women to get back into work.

The government supports women and parents to return to work, including through: spending almost £6 billion on childcare support in 2019/20 – more than ever before, providing the right to request flexible working and a system of shared parental leave, investing in opportunities and support for people returning to work after time out for caring and having an ambition to increase female entrepreneurship by half by 2030.

The female employment rate is at a record high of 72.1% and 1.9m more women are in work since 2010. The employment rate for parents is 83.2%, also a record high.