Social Exclusion (Hansard, 10 January 2000)

§ 21. Mr. Mackinlay
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what further resources are proposed to reduce social exclusion. [102951]

§ Mr. Bayley
Over this Parliament we are investing an extra £40 billion in health and education, and we will be spending an additional £6 billion a year by the end of this Parliament in new measures to tackle child poverty.
It is this Government that have made tackling poverty and social exclusion its priority. We are currently examining resources in the spending review and will make an announcement next year.
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§ 25. Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the Government's plans to tackle poverty and social exclusion arising out of welfare dependency. [102955]

§ Mr. Bayley
A key element in our strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion is to reduce the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits by helping people find work.
The proportion of people living in working age workless households doubled between 1979 and 1997—this is the legacy we inherited and the challenge we face. It is a problem we are committed to overcome through our programme of welfare reform.