HC Deb 13 November 1979 vol 973 cc565-6W
Mr. McCrindle

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to define poverty for the purpose of benefits.

Mr. Prentice

No.

Mr. Winnick

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the statistical information available to him concerning the existing amount of poverty and deprivation in households.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin

No. Accordingly, I have conducted a review of the practice of producing yearly statements analysing data from the family expenditure survey—FES—on incomes relative to supplementary benefit levels, having regard to

  1. (1) the time taken for the basic data to be supplied and analysed. This has generally made the estimates up to 2 years old, so seriously limiting their usefulness:
  2. (2) the rather small samples of low-income families available. This limits the confidence which can be put in the changes shown to have taken place between successive years; and
  3. (3) the constraints on staff resources.

I am also conscious that statements of numbers with incomes below supplementary benefit levels or within particular proportions of those levels have been interpreted by some commentators as indicators of the amount of poverty or numbers of the poor. The Government do not consider that a simple poverty line can be drawn.

Furthermore, to define poverty or deprivation in households by reference to supplementary benefit levels has the paradoxical result that improvements in supplementary benefit increase the numbers counted as poor or deprived.

I have, however, decided that the estimates from the FES data, and the corresponding analysis of take-up of supplementary benefit, should continue to be compiled and published, but in alternate years. This should be sufficient to enable any marked trends to be distinguished. Figures will not therefore be compiled for 1978.

The resources immediately freed by this decision will contribute to the analysis of the family finances survey This is a survey of low-income families with children covering a much bigger sample. It should provide more up-to-date information of greater relevance and depth about these families. I have also decided to sponsor a follow-up to this survey.

I am satisfied that the information becoming available over the course of about the next two years is likely to represent a significant improvement over what has hitherto been available.

Mr. Ioan Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action is proposed to deal with the problem of poverty.

Mrs. Chalker

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Leadbitter) on 6 November.—[Vol. 973, c.166–68.]