Third Report - Children in poverty: Measurement and targets
Select Committee
Work and Pensions Committee
HC 188
22 September 2021
Government response
Fifth Special Report - Children in poverty: Measurements and targets: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report · published 6 Dec 2021
Recommendations & Conclusions
9 results
6
Recommendation
Deferred
We recommend that DWP should commission a systematic review of the latest evidence on child...
Recommendation
We recommend that DWP should commission a systematic review of the latest evidence on child income poverty, its definitions, its causes and its consequences. It should use this review to prompt a better dialogue with the public, charities and others, …
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Government Response Summary
The government stated that the Secretary of State's focus on material deprivation will inform its approach to poverty measurement. The commissioning of a systematic review of child income poverty, as recommended, is still under consideration.
Department for Work and Pensions
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13
Recommendation
Deferred
Para 54
DWP should consolidate its statistical publications on income-related poverty and wider social deprivations to create...
Recommendation
DWP should consolidate its statistical publications on income-related poverty and wider social deprivations to create a single dashboard of indicators of child poverty which logically describe the evidence-based causes and consequences of child poverty. DWP should, in doing so, be …
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Government Response Summary
The government states tackling poverty is a cross-government priority and ONS is leading the development of an interactive tool for income and earnings statistics, rather than DWP consolidating its own publications into a single child poverty dashboard.
Department for Work and Pensions
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14
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 60
The Social Metrics Commission has proposed a new approach to measuring poverty which has widespread...
Conclusion
The Social Metrics Commission has proposed a new approach to measuring poverty which has widespread support. It was therefore welcome that the Government announced in 2019 that it would develop supplementary experimental statistics building on the Commission’s methodology. But that …
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Government Response Summary
The government responded that the work on developing supplementary experimental statistics for measuring poverty, which the Committee expressed concern about, is 'still under consideration.'
Department for Work and Pensions
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17
Recommendation
Deferred
DWP should continue to liaise with other countries, universities, and international organisations in developing a...
Recommendation
DWP should continue to liaise with other countries, universities, and international organisations in developing a single dashboard for reporting income-related measures of poverty and the wider social deprivations on which the Government currently reports. (Paragraph 66) A strategy for child …
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Government Response Summary
The government states ONS is leading the development of an interactive tool for income and earnings statistics, and that the government liaises with various organisations and countries for evidence, rather than DWP leading the development of a single dashboard.
Department for Work and Pensions
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26
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 102
DWP has valuable administrative data that can be used to improve understanding of child poverty...
Conclusion
DWP has valuable administrative data that can be used to improve understanding of child poverty and support a better response to it. To make the best use of this resource, DWP will need to collaborate with others in Government, local …
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Government Response Summary
The government intends to conduct more detailed research into the possibility of making improvements to existing data shares and investigating local authority reasons for additional data, acknowledging concerns about DWP's data sharing approach.
Department for Work and Pensions
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27
Recommendation
Deferred
Para 103
DWP should liaise with other government departments to identify lessons for how it might take...
Recommendation
DWP should liaise with other government departments to identify lessons for how it might take a more constructive approach to sharing data related to child poverty. DWP should write to us by June 2022 updating us on its progress (a) …
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Government Response Summary
The government intends to conduct more detailed research into the possibility of improving existing data shares, including investigating local authority concerns, rather than committing to specific actions or timelines outlined by the committee.
Department for Work and Pensions
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33
Recommendation
Deferred
Para 117
DWP should write to us by June 2022 setting out precisely what additional subgroup analysis,...
Recommendation
DWP should write to us by June 2022 setting out precisely what additional subgroup analysis, including analysis of ethnic minority households, it expects to be able to conduct as a result of the increase in the sample size for its …
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Government Response Summary
The government deferred the request, stating it is not possible to provide a precise list of subgroups for analysis by June 2022 as it depends on data collected, response rates, and final sample sizes from the FRS boost starting April 2022.
Department for Work and Pensions
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34
Recommendation
Deferred
Para 121
Income poverty data on children whose parents have no recourse to public funds is limited.
Recommendation
Income poverty data on children whose parents have no recourse to public funds is limited. DWP’s Family Resources Survey picks up very small numbers of these children and the Department does not collect significant administrative data on them because their …
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Government Response Summary
The government redirects responsibility for research and analysis on children of families with no recourse to public funds, stating that the Home Office has the policy lead on this issue.
Department for Work and Pensions
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35
Recommendation
Deferred
Para 122
We recommend that DWP works with the Office for National Statistics to produce robust income-related...
Recommendation
We recommend that DWP works with the Office for National Statistics to produce robust income-related poverty and income data on children and their families with no recourse to public funds. DWP should write to us by June 2022 to give …
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Government Response Summary
The government redirected the recommendation, stating that the Home Office has the policy lead on No Recourse to Public Funds, rather than committing DWP to produce the requested data.
Department for Work and Pensions
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