§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the level of poverty in(a) real and (b) relative terms in (i) 1979 and (ii) the most recent year for which data are available, giving the numbers and proportions of children above these levels. [28826]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyI have been asked to reply.
There are various indicators which can be used to determine the scale of the situation which needs to be addressed in reforming welfare.
The tables shows the information required according to two indicators which can be used—people whose income is above half the average income, and numbers above the bottom quintile of the income distribution.
381W
Numbers (in millions) of people and children, and the proportion of children, living in households with income above the bottom quintile of the income distribution in (a) 1979 and (b) 1994–95, before housing costs (BHC) and after housing costs (AHC). Year Number of people Number of children Proportion of children BHC AHC BHC AHC BHC (per cent.) AHC (per cent.) (a) 1979 43.2 43.2 10.9 10.9 79 79 (b) 1994–95 46.0 46.0 9.7 9.5 73 71 Notes:
1. All figures include the self-employed.
2. Figures for proportion of children use a child population of 13.8 million in 1979 and 13.3 million in 1994–95.
3. Figures use total population figures of 54 million in 1979 and 57.5 million in 1994–95.
Source:
Households Below Average Incomes 1994–95