Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 12 January 2009]: The Government are in the process of agreeing the detailed terms of a new contract with Post Office Ltd. The amounts to be paid to Post Office Ltd. will depend 14 Jan 2009 : Column 766W
on a number of factors including customer behaviour. The financial details of the contract will remain commercially confidential.
Poverty: Children
Chris Ruane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were living in absolute low income in each region in each of the last 10 years. [244453]
Kitty Ussher:
Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in "Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2006/07".
Information on the numbers of children below 60 per cent. of 1998-99 median income by region is set out in the following table. Three survey year averages are given for each of the regions as robust single year estimates cannot be produced because of volatility in estimates.
Number of children living in households with less th an 60 per cent of absolute 1998- 99 median household income held constant in real terms, by region or country: 1996 - 97-1998 - 99 to 2004 - 05-2006 - 07
Million
1996-97 to 1998-99
1997-98 to 1999-2000
1998-99 to 2000-01
1999-2000 to 2001-02
2000-01 to 2002-03
2001-02 to 2003-04
2002-03 to 2004-05
2003-04 to 2005-06
2004-05 to 2006-07
Before housing costs
North East
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
North West
0.5
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
Yorkshire and the Humber
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
East Midlands
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
West Midlands
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
East of England
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
London
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
South East
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.2
South West
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
England
3.0
2.8
2.4
2.1
1.7
1.5
1.4
1.4
1.4
Wales
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Scotland
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
Northern Ireland
(1)—
(1)—
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
After housing costs
North East
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
North West
0.6
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
Yorkshire and the Humber
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
East Midlands
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
West Midlands
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
East of England
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
London
0.7
0.7
0.6
0.6
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
South East
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
South West
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
England
3.8
3.6
3.4
3.0
2.6
2.3
2.1
2.1
2.1
Wales
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Scotland
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
Northern Ireland
(1)—
(1)—
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
14 Jan 2009 : Column 767W
14 Jan 2009 : Column 768W
(1) Not available. Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income data. 2. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures is single financial years. Three sample years have been combined as regional single year estimates are subject to volatility. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication “Households Below Average Income” series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or "equivalised") for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. Median incomes are used as the national average in the publication. 5. The figures are based on OECD equalisation factors. 6. Figures have been presented on both a Before Housing Cost and After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Cost, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Cost they are. 7. Data for Northern Ireland are only available from 1998-99 to 2000-01 onwards. 8. Numbers of children in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest 100,000 children. Source: Households Below Average Income.
