§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children lived in poverty in Shrewsbury and Atcham on(a) 1 May 1997 and (b) the latest available date; and if he will make a statement. [154655]
§ Mr. BayleyPoverty and social exclusion are complex multi-dimensional issues, affecting many aspects of people's lives—including income, health, housing, the quality of their environment and opportunities to learn. There is no single measure that can capture the complex problems that need to be overcome.
319WHowever a number of these aspects have seen significant improvement in Shrewsbury and Atcham since 1997. Between February 1997 and August 2000 the number of children in families in receipt of out of work benefits has fallen from 3,100 to 2,300.
In Shropshire the proportion of 11-year-olds achieving level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 has risen in English from 62 per cent. in 1997 to 79 per cent. in 2000 and in mathematics from 61 per cent. in 1998 to 77 per cent. in 2000.
The annual report, "Opportunity for all", available in the Library, sets out and monitors the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion.
Notes:
1. Out of work benefits include Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance. Numbers on benefit are drawn from a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to sampling error. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Please note that any comparison of figures for February and for August may be affected by seasonal variation.
2. Information used in earlier replies only looked at Income Support and income based Jobseeker's Allowance. We now include all the key out of work benefits to give a fuller picture.