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25 Jun 2007 : Column 454W—continued


Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2007, Official Report, column 520W, on children: poverty, how many and what proportion of householders with less than 60 per cent. of average national income (a) receive tax credits, (b) are eligible for tax credits and (c) do not claim tax credits. [142781]

Mr. Jim Murphy: Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in “Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2005/06 (Revised)”.

The available information, for parts (a) and (c) of the question, is shown in the following table.

Information is not available to answer question (b). I refer the right hon. Member to the written answer the Chief Secretary to the Treasury gave to him on 11 June 2007, Official Report, column 830W.

Table 1: Number and proportion of households with less than 60 per cent. of median income that report receipt of tax credits: 2005-06
Before h ousing c osts After h ousing c osts

Number of households (million)

0.8

1.2

Proportion of households Percentage)

17

22

Source:
Family Resources Survey 2005-06

Table 2: Number and proportion of households with less than 60 per cent. of median income that do not report receipt of tax credits: 2005-06
Before h ousing c osts After h ousing c osts

Number of households (million)

3.9

4.2

Proportion of households Percentage)

83

78

Note:
The figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors, and will not be the same as any figures previously published which were based on McClements equivalisation factors.
Source:
Family Resources Survey 2005-06

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of children removed from relative poverty due to payment of child support in each year since 1997. [143586]

Mr. Plaskitt: Information relating to the number of children removed from relative poverty due to payment of child support before 2003-04 is only available at disproportionate cost. For the years 2003-04 to 2005-06, estimates are given in the following table.


25 Jun 2007 : Column 455W
Number of children removed from poverty due to payment of child support

2003-04

80,000

2004-05

90,000

2005-06

100,000

Notes: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000. Poverty is defined here as living in a household which has less than 60 per cent. of median income on an equivalised basis before housing costs. The poverty threshold is contemporary, so is 60 per cent. of median income in that year. Figures are produced using the McClements equivalisation scale, except for 2006-07 which uses the OECD equivalisation scale. Figures are based on a survey and so are subject to measurement error; changes in the numbers between years cannot be considered statistically significant. Source: Department for Work and Pensions policy simulation model based on family resources survey data.

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2007, Official Report, column 520W, on children: poverty, if he will break down the figures given by those with (a) two working parents, (b) two parents, one of whom is working, (c) a single parent and (d) other family type. [145189]

Mr. Jim Murphy: Estimates of numbers of families with children by family type and economic status who are not in receipt of tax credits and living below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income or below 40 per cent. of contemporary median income are shown.

The figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors, and will not be the same as any figures previously published which were based on McClements equivalisation factors.

Number of families with children not in receipt of tax credits by family type and work status 2005-06—household incomes below 60 per cent. of the contemporary median income
million
Before housing costs After housing costs

Two working parents

0.1

0.1

Two parents, one of whom is working

0.1

0.1

A single parent

0.3

0.5

Other family type

0.2

0.2

All families with children not in receipt of tax credits

0.7

0.9

Source:
Family Resources Survey 2005-06

Number of families w ith children not in receipt of tax c redits by family type and work status 2005-06—household incomes below 40 per cent. of the contemporary median income
million
Before housing costs After housing costs

Two working parents

0.0

0.0

Two parents, one of whom is working

0.0

0.1

A single parent

0.1

0.2

Other family type

0.1

0.1

All families with children not in receipt of tax credits

0.2

0.4

Source:
Family Resources Survey 2005-06

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children living in poverty were in (a) single parent households and (b) two parent households in each year since 1997. [145339]


25 Jun 2007 : Column 456W

Mr. Jim Murphy: Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in “Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2005/06 (Revised)”. The report uses 60 per cent. of median income as the low income threshold. This threshold is the internationally recognised measure of poverty.

The available information is in the table as follows.

Number of children (million) living in households below 60 per cent. of median income: Before Housing Costs
Single parent households Two parent households

1996-97

1.3

2.1

1997-98

1.4

2.0

1998-99

1.3

2.0

1999-2000

1.4

1.8

2000-01

1.3

1.7

2001-02

1.3

1.7

2002-03

1.3

1.7

2003-04

1.2

1.7

2004-05

1.2

1.6

2005-06

1.1

1.7

Notes:
1. The disaggregated information shown is for Great Britain up to 2001-02 and for the United Kingdom for 2002-03 onwards.
2. The figures are based on OECD equalisation factors and will therefore not be the same as any figures previously published that were based on McClements equivalisation factors.
Source:
Family Resources Survey

Damages: Vaccination

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what value of vaccine damage payments was paid out in each of the last 10 years; [145089]

(2) how many individuals have received vaccine damage payments in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; [145090]

(3) how many applicants there were for vaccine damage payments in each of the last 10 years. [145337]

Mrs. McGuire: The information requested is in the following tables.

Number of applicants Number of vaccine damage payments Value of VDPs (£)

1997-98

202

3

90,000

1998-99

135

0

0

1999-2000

90

4

110,000

2000-01

202

2

50,000

2001-02

146

3

230,000

2002-03

417

5

500,000

2003-04

165

5

410,000

2004-05

111

4

400,000

2005-06

106

5

500,000

2006-07

60

4

310,000

Total

1634

35

2,600,000

Source:
Vaccine Damage Payments Unit database

Since 1 September 2000, 898 top up payments have been made. A breakdown of amounts is not available as dates of payment were not collated in statistics.


25 Jun 2007 : Column 457W
Amount Number of payments Total paid (£)

£58,000

2

116,000

£61,500

26

1,599,000

£64,500

28

1,806,000

£68,000

842

57,256,000

Total

898

60,777,000


Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of administering vaccine damage payments was to (a) his Department and (b) the public purse in the last financial year for which figures are available. [145091]

Mrs. McGuire: The administration of vaccine damage payments is a matter for the chief executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Terry Moran, dated 25 June 2007:


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