§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Edinburgh, South constituency, the effects on Edinburgh of the Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [155342]
§ Mr. RookerThe Department's policies and initiatives have made a significant contribution to the Government's overall objectives of
Eradicating 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 the Edinburgh, South constituency and the City of Edinburgh local authority area since May 1997.
Measures in our five Budgets so far will lift over 1.2 million children nationally out of poverty. These include record increases to Child Benefit, the introduction of the 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 from April 2001: nationally about 7 million families receive child 481W benefit, and in Edinburgh, South 7,259 families benefit and in City of Edinburgh local authority area 47,558 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 960,600; in Edinburgh, South the number has reduced from 1,900 to 1.200, and in the City of Edinburgh local authority area from 13,000 to 7,400. Since May 1997 the number of lone parents who claim Income Support has decreased from 1,013,500 to 894,100 nationally; in Edinburgh, South the number has decreased from 1,300 to 1,000 and in the City of Edinburgh local authority area from 7,000 to 6,300.
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 14,000 older people in Edinburgh, South have received a Winter Fuel Payment for this winter. Information on the number of Winter Fuel Payments received is not available by local authority area.
To demonstrate our commitment to combating pensioner poverty, this year we will spend £4.5 billion extra in real terms on pensioners. Some 13,400 pensioners in Edinburgh, South, and 74,900 in the City of Edinburgh local authority area 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 6,300 in Edinburgh, South and 31,100 in the City of Edinburgh local authority area. 2,200 pensioner families in Edinburgh, South and 11,300 in the City of Edinburgh local authority area are receiving the Minimum Income Guarantee, which we introduced in April 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
Median average net disposable weekly household income by family type for lone parents in Great Britain £ per week Median average household income Before housing costs After housing costs Family type Income Support Working Income Support Working All Lone Parent Families (equivalised) 164 216 113 173 Equivalent money values for different types of lone parent family 1 child aged 5 135 177 86 132 2 children aged 5, 11 176 231 116 177 2 children aged 11 182 240 121 186 3 children aged 5, 11, 16 235 309 159 243 Notes
1. All figures are estimates and are taken from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI data set which is derived from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not include Northern Ireland, and 1998–99 is the latest year for which data are available.
2. The income measure used in HBAI is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household). The equivalised income benchmark used for comparison purposes is the income of a couple with no children. The equivalent actual money values for different types of lone parent family have also been given.
482WApril 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.