HC Deb 26 February 2001 vol 363 cc544-5W
Mrs. Humble

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out, including statistical information, the effect on the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [150718]

Mr. Rooker

The Department's policies and initiatives have made a significant contribution to the Government's overall objectives ofEradicating child poverty in 20 years, and halving it within 10; Promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age while protecting the position of those in greatest need; and, Combating poverty and promoting security and independence in retirement for today's and tomorrow's pensioners.

These goals are being pursued nationwide and our achievements are set out in our annual "Opportunity for all" reports. Our second report, "Opportunity for all—One year on: making a difference" (CM4865, September 2000) sets out what progress has been made in the past year, as well as highlighting what more needs to be done. Nationwide statistical information is necessarily more complete than constituency level data, but the following provides a comparative guide to the effect of the Department's policies and actions in Blackpool North and Fleetwood since May 1997.

Measures in our first four Budgets will lift over one million children out of poverty. These include record increases to Child Benefit, Working Families Tax Credit, increases in the income-related benefits, the minimum wage and tax changes.

Child benefit will be worth £15.50 a week for the eldest child and £10.35 a week for other children front April 2001: nationally about 7 million families receive child benefit, and in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood 11,025 families benefit.

We now have the lowest unemployment rate in 25 years. The New Deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, the over 50s and partners of the unemployed to move from benefit into work. In the period since May 1997, the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance nationally has reduced from 1,562,400 to 1,044,900; in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood the number has reduced from 3,000 to 1,600. Since May 1997, the number of lone parents who claim Income Support has decreased from 1,013,500 to 894,100 nationally and in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood from 1,700 to 1,300.

Older people are disproportionately affected by fuel poverty, so we have introduced Winter Fuel Payments to help with their heaviest fuel bill. This winter, the payment is £200 for households who qualify. Around 25,000 older people in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood have received a Winter Fuel Payment for this winter.

To demonstrate our commitment to combating pensioner poverty, this year we will spend £4.5 billion extra in real terms on pensioners. Some 23,600 pensioners in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood will benefit from the substantial increases in the basic state pension this April and next; this year's increase is £5 a week for single pensioners and £8 for couples. In addition, we have introduced free TV licences for the over 75s of whom we estimate there are about 10,200 in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood. 3,700 pensioner families in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood are receiving the Minimum Income Guarantee, which we introduced in Apt it 1999 to help our poorest pensioners. From April they will be at least £15 a week, or £800 a year, better off in real terms as a result of Government measures since 1997.

Other reforms in the pipeline include: the new Pension Credit in 2003 designed to ensure that pensioners benefit from their savings; the launch of Stakeholder Pensions in April this year; and the introduction of the State Second Pension in April 2002 both of which will help provide greater security for tomorrow's pensioners.