HC Deb 04 April 2000 vol 347 cc449-50W
Mr. Oaten

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for(a) England and (b) each English region, the number of children in households with income below half of the national average in (i) 1979, (ii) 1990 and (iii) each year from 1992 to 1998. [117237]

Mr. Bayley

We have pledged to halve the number of children living in poverty in 10 years and eradicate child poverty in 20 years and we have already made significant progress. The measures we have announced in successive Budgets will lift 1.2 million children out of poverty by the end of this Parliament.

Estimates of the number of children living in households below half average income for England and for English regions are presented in the following tables. Regional figures are available only from 1994–95.

Number of children living in households below half UK average income for England
Million
Before housing costs (BHC) After housing costs (AHC)
1979 1.0 1.1
1990–91 2.5 3.0
1992–93 2.8 3.6
1993–94 2.7 3.5

Number of children living in households below half GB average income for England
Million
Before housing costs (BHC) After housing costs (AHC)
1994–5 2.5 3.5
1995–96 2.3 3.5
1996–97 2.8 3.9
1997–98 2.8 3.8

Number of children living in households below half average income for English regions
Million
1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
BHC
North East 0.20 0.15 0.20 0.20
North West and Merseyside 0.45 0.40 0.50 0.45
Yorkshire and the Humber 0.35 0.30 0.35 0.35
East Midlands 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.25
West Midlands 0.25 0.30 0.40 0.40
Eastern 0.25 0.20 0.25 0.25
London 0.40 0.25 0.45 0.45
South East 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.30
South West 0.20 0.20 0.25 0.25
AHC
North East 0.20 0.20 0.25 0.25
North West and Merseyside 0.55 0.55 0.60 0.60
Yorkshire and the Humber 0.40 0.35 0.40 0.35
East Midlands 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.25
West Midlands 0.35 0.40 0.45 0.45
Eastern 0.40 0.30 0.35 0.35
London 0.60 0.65 0.70 0.75
South East 0.40 0.45 0.50 0.40
South West 0.30 0.30 0.35 0.30

Notes:

  1. 1. The source is Households Below Average Income (HBAI). Estimates for 1979 to 1993–94 are derived from the Family Expenditure Survey and these estimates, including the value of half average income, relate to the United Kingdom. Results for 1990–91, 1992–93 and 1993–94 are for two years combined. Estimates for 1994–95 to 1997–98 are taken from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) and the estimates, including the value of half average income, relate to Great Britain. FRS-based estimates use a slightly different definition of income; results are therefore not precisely comparable with those for years before 1994–95, but the results presented here are broadly comparable.
  2. 2. All estimates are subject to sampling error and response biases, and small changes apparent in these tables may be influenced by these. Results for individual years may be sensitive to the precise way in which household incomes are adjusted for household size and composition; the picture of changes over time is generally not sensitive to this.
  3. 3. Estimates are presented on household income both Before Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC) in line with HBAI conventions.
  4. 4. Results in the tables 1 and 2 are rounded to the nearest 100,000. Results in the table are rounded to the nearest 50,000.