§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 19 May 2000,Official Report, column 294W, on poverty, (a) when 1.2 million children will be lifted above the 60 per cent. of median household income threshold and (b) if this figure is net of those children in households whose income moves below this threshold. [123853]
587W
§ Dawn PrimaroloOn(a), the estimate that 1.2 million children will be lifted above 60 per cent. of median income looks at the effect of all personal tax and benefit changes announced in the past four Budgets; all of these measures will have taken effect by April 2001. On (b), the estimates given in Box 5.1 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report are net of any children in households whose incomes move below the income thresholds.
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 19 May 2000,Official Report, column 294W, on poverty, if the figure of 1.2 million children to be lifted above 60 per cent. of median earnings includes tapering for (a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit. [123854]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe definition of income used in this figure is consistent with that in "Households Below Average Income" and includes Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. The estimate of 1.2 million children therefore includes the effect of the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit tapers.