Impact of Excluding Single Unwed Parents from Receiving Parenthood Tax Rebates and Working Mother's Child Relief

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the exclusion of single unwed parents from receiving the Parenthood Tax Rebates and the Working Mother’s Child Relief has had a measurable impact on reducing the rate of single unwed parenthood; and (b) if so, what are the findings on the reduction rate of single unwed parenthood.

The Parenthood Tax Rebate and the Working Mother’s Child Relief are not aimed at bringing about a reduction in the rate of parenthood outside marriage. Hence, we have not done studies to measure the causal linkages between our tax policies and single unwed parenthood. Rather, both these tax reliefs are specifically granted to support parenthood within marriage, and to encourage married mothers to continue working after childbirth. We will continue to review our tax policies bearing in mind prevailing societal concerns and values.