§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many(a) families and (b) children in each British Overseas Territory are living in poverty; and if he will make a statement.[164340]
§ Hilary BennThis detailed information requested is not available, as it is not collected on a regular basis by the Overseas Territories and to do so would be highly resource intensive for their Governments. However, research published recently by the Caribbean Development Bank suggests that, while there is some poverty in the UK Caribbean Overseas Territories as elsewhere, there is little that is extreme by global standards.
1160WDFID believes the same applies to St. Helena, where precise data are also very limited. More generally, people in the Overseas Territories are largely able to satisfy their basic nutritional requirements; all Overseas Territories are classified internationally as being of `middle income' status or above; and all Overseas Territories have met, or have largely met, the Millennium Development Goals. DFID's development assistance to those Overseas Territories that still require it, which in the Financial Year just ending is expected to total some £39 million, includes particular focus on the needs of the poorer and more vulnerable members of the island communities.