John Perry
Question:75 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the steps he will take to deal with the large number of women living in poverty. [29688/00]
Written Answers. - Anti-Poverty Strategy.
Out of Sight – The Hidden Poverty of Women, published recently by the National Women's Council, is a welcome initiative to ensure that the full extent of women's poverty can be identified and addressed.
Women are at a significant risk of poverty and some predominately female groups, such as lone parents, are at a very high poverty risk. The Government is strongly committed to eliminating poverty for all our people, including women and
children. One of the main principles underlying the national anti-poverty strategy is "the reduction of inequalities and in particular, addressing the gender dimensions of poverty". Women's poverty has been identified as a central issue for consideration in the review of the national anti-poverty strategy provided for in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. As part of the review, existing national anti-poverty strategy targets will be revised as appropriate and consideration will be given to possible new targets under the themes of women's poverty, child poverty, older people, health, and housing-accommodation. Working groups are currently being established, with representation from the social partners, towards this end.
This Government is taking a number of practical steps to address key issues of relevance to women. Earlier this year I launched a report on women's access to labour market opportunities. I recently launched a review of our one parent family payment which sets out a range of measures to improve parent's income.
The 2001 budget will, to an unprecedented extent, direct the resources of the State at the needs of our disadvantaged citizens and communities. The changes that I announced last week are focused on people in poverty or at risk of falling into poverty. As well as the young and the elderly, women in general and those dependent on social welfare will all greatly benefit from the provisions in this budget. Measures such as child benefit increases of £25 per month for the first and second child and £30 per month for third and subsequent children; an increase in family income support by £15; extension of the duration of maternity and adoptive benefit; a £10 weekly increase for pensioners aged 66 or over and for people on retirement or invalidity pension aged 65 or over, the extension of free schemes to all people aged 70 or over, and an increase in the rate of qualified adult allowance; the qualified adult allowance for qualified adults over the age of 66 will be increased further over future budgets to the full old age pension rate and arrangements will be put in place so that part of the pension can be paid directly to the qualified adult as a homemakers pension; and increases in rates for carers and changes in the means test for the carers allowance which mean that 5,000 extra people qualify will improve the financial position of many women and will enhance the possibility for women of all ages to achieve economic independence.