Written question asked by David Marshall (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 April 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 30 April 2002. It was answered by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour) on Tuesday, 30 April 2002 on behalf of the Scotland Office.

Scotland Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, What assessment she has made about the impact of the Budget upon child poverty in Scotland. - Including figures. (Failed OPQ).

Answer: Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment she has made about the impact of the Budget upon child poverty in Scotland. [51363] Mr. Foulkes: The Budget showed our continued determination to tackle child poverty. Around 450,000 families in Scotland will benefit from the introduction of the new working tax credit and the new child tax credit in 2003. The children's allowance in income support and job seeker's allowance will increase by £3.50 a week from October 2002, benefiting around 113,000 workless families in Scotland. We have also announced improvements to the new deal for lone parents, which has already benefited almost 15,000 people in Scotland. The Department for Work and Pensions has also recently issued a consultation paper on "Measuring Child Poverty", to seek views on the best way of monitoring long-term progress.

Secondary information