TAXES ON MAID LEVIES

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance what is the amount of tax forgone from 2000 to 2002 if Foreign Maid Levy relief were to be extended to single men and women.

Mr Lee Hsien Loong: The Ministry of Finance is unable to estimate this figure as it would require substantial effort to verify the marital status of every employer of a foreign maid, and estimate the personal tax savings to each employer who is single. The objective of the Foreign Maid Levy relief is to encourage women to rejoin or to remain in the workforce after marriage. Since this objective is not relevant to singles, data on single men and women have never been needed or compiled.