asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the annual cost of extending the invalid care allowance to married women; and what reasons other than that of cost he has for not so doing.

An additional £85 million a year net of savings on other benefits. Even if such a sum were to be available, an extension of invalid care allowance to married women could be seen only as one of a number of competing priorities for what is available for social security spending as a whole. Consideration would also have to be given to other ways in which such resources could be used to support carers—for example, through the provision of social services or respite care.