To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to bring together and publish all information held by his Department about poverty in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [37340]

There is no simple or meaningful way to define poverty. The principal current sources of information on the incomes of households are "Households Below Average Income 1979 to 1992–93" and the "Family Expenditure Survey 1994–95. The latter includes information specifically on Scottish households. Both publications are available in the Library.