HC Deb 08 January 2004 vol 416 c462W
Hugh Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of children living in poverty in(a) the UK, (b) Yorkshire and (c) the City of York in (i) 1997 and (ii) now. [146469]

Mr. Pond

Poverty and social exclusion are complex and multi-dimensional issues, affecting many aspects of peoples' lives—including their living standards, health, housing, the quality of their environment—and not just low income. The fifth annual "Opportunity for all" report (Cm 5956) sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.

Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is available in "Households Below Average Income 1994/95–2001/02". Data is not available at the UK level, or below regional level.

"Measuring child poverty", published in December 2003, outlines the Government's measure of UK child poverty for the long term. This new measure will begin from 2004–05.

All publications listed are available in the Library.

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