Letter: Working mothers

THE Equal Opportunities Commission is delighted that The Independent has chosen to draw attention to the difficulties many parents have in trying to combine work with bringing up a family.

As The Independent so rightly points out, paying for childcare is a major item in the household budgets of all working parents and cost of childcare can act as a barrier to women returning to work. We are also delighted that The Independent is giving recognition to the contribution that women make to the economy.

The EOC believes that expenditure on childcare is an investment in Britain's future. The value of caring must be acknowledged if parents in general and women in particular are not to sacrifice their current and future incomes as the price of taking responsibility for their families.

Tax subsidies are one way of providing help and we shall be following The Independent's campaign with interest.

KAMLESH BAHL

Chairwoman

Equal Opportunities Commission

Manchester