Poverty: Children

Julia Goldsworthy
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether water poverty is included as a component in the delivery of public service agreements on child poverty.

Jane Kennedy
[holding answer 20 November 2007]: The child poverty public service agreement (PSA) sets out the strategic priorities for Government in tackling child poverty including, among others, reducing poverty through raising incomes, and tackling poor living conditions.

Performance against the PSA is measured using three indicators, two of which are income measures and the third is a measure of low income and material deprivation combined.

By looking at income levels, living conditions and material deprivation the PSA includes a broad range of factors that influence child poverty.