Children

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were in working and non-working households (a) below 60 per cent. of median income, (b) in the bottom 20 per cent. of the income distribution and (c) the bottom 30 per cent. of the income distribution in each year since 1994-95. (133943)

The available information is in the following tables.

At present, we are unable to provide data for 2005-06 as the Households Below Average Income 2005-06 release is currently being revised. The new release will be available from mid-May.

The Secretary of State made a written statement to Parliament on 23 April 2007, Official Report, column 20WS on why the statistics are being revised.

*(a) Number of children (millions) living in households below 60 per cent. of median income: by working/non-working households: before housing costs*
	Working households	Non-working households
1994-95	1.3	1.9
1995-96	1.2	1.8
1996-97	1.4	2.0
1997-98	1.6	1.9
1998-99	1.5	1.8
1999-2000	1.5	1.7
2000-01	1.3	1.6
2001-02	1.4	1.6
2002-03	1.4	1.6
2003-04	1.3	1.5
2004-05	1.3	1.4

*(b) Number of children (millions) living in households below 20 per cent. of income distribution: by working/non-working households: before housing costs*
	Working households	Non-working households
1994-95	1.4	2.0
1995-96	1.3	2.0
1996-97	1.5	2.0
1997-98	1.6	1.9
1998-99	1.6	1.8
1999-2000	1.6	1.8
2000-01	1.5	1.7
2001-02	1.5	1.7
2002-03	1.6	1.7
2003-04	1.6	1.7
2004-05	1.6	1.6

*(c) Number of children (millions) living in households below 30 per cent. of income distribution: by working/non-working households: before housing costs*
	Working households	Non-working households
1994-95	2.3	2.5
1995-96	2.3	2.6
1996-97	2.4	2.5
1997-98	2.6	2.3
1998-99	2.6	2.3
1999-2000	2.6	2.3
2000-01	2.6	2.2
2001-02	2.7	2.1
2002-03	2.8	2.1
2003-04	2.7	2.1
2004-05	2.8	2.0
Notes: 1. The information is for Great Britain up to 2001/02 and for the United Kingdom from 2002-03 onwards. 2. It is based on OECD equivalisation factors and therefore will not be the same as any figures previously published that were based on McClements equivalisation. factors. Source: Family Resources Survey

Volume 459: debated on Thursday 26 April 2007