HC Deb 17 January 1984 vol 71 c219W
Mr. Deakins

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what definition of poverty is used in the European Economic Community programme to combat poverty.

Mr. Whitney

For the purposes of the Council decision on specific Community action to combat povertythe poor are taken to mean persons, families and groups of persons whose resources (material, cultural and social) are so limited as to exclude them from the minimum acceptable way of life in the Member States in which they live (Article 1.2 of Council document 85/8EEC).