§ Baroness Howe of Idlicoteasked Her Majesty "s Government:
Whether they will undertake an economic analysis of the investment required to ensure that government programmes aimed at lifting children out of poverty reach disabled children. [HL1030]
§ Baroness Hollis of HeighamResearch suggests that children in workless households are much more likely to be deprived than children living in a working household. Work is crucial if we are to stop life-cycle effects of poverty and the way it is passed down the generations. Work is not only important for those of working age. Children who grow up in non-working families have an increased risk of being unemployed themselves in adulthood. This is borne out by Gregg and Machin in their 1998 paper:Child Development and Success or Failure in the Youth Labour Market, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
However, we recognise that disabled children and their families have additional needs. We are committed to helping severely disabled people with the extra costs they face as a result of their disabilities. This is why from April 2001 the disabled living allowance higher rate mobility component was extended to severely disabled children aged three and four, providing extra help to their families currently worth £39.30 a week.
A full analysis of our strategy to eradicate child poverty is given in our annual Opportunity for all reports. Opportunity for all—fourth annual report (Cm 5598) was published in September 2002. It reports on a range of outcome indicators covering many dimensions of poverty and social exclusion.