11-11-04
Local MP secures debate on pensioner poverty
John Barrett, Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, has
secured a special parliamentary debate on the issue of pensioner
poverty in his constituency.
Mr Barrett received a letter from the Speaker of the House
of Commons today, informing him that his request for the
debate had been granted. The debate will take place
in Parliament’s Westminster Hall chamber next Wednesday
(17th November) after questions to Mr Barrett’s parliamentary
questions showed 180,000 pensioners in Scotland are still
living in poverty.
Last month, Mr Barrett launched his “Fairer Deal for
Pensioners” petition, which called on the Government
to increase the basic state pension. Over 1,000 pensioners
in his West Edinburgh constituency have already added their
names in support.
In a statement, John Barrett said:
“One of the most important measures of a society is
how it treats its older citizens. After a lifetime
of contributing to the country, many of my elderly constituents
tell me they
simply do not feel they are getting a fair deal in return. That
is why I am so pleased to have secured this debate. It
will allow me to take my constituents concerns right to the
heart of Government.
“The Government has taken a number of very welcome
steps to help poorer pensioners. However, their over
reliance on means testing has been widely critcised by pensioner
groups
such as Age Concern. The take-up of the Pension Credit
is still far too low, with many pensioners finding the process
of applying for these benefits both complicated the degrading.
“I strongly believe the only guaranteed way of getting
more money to the poorest pensioners is by increasing the
wholly
inadequate basic state pension. This is just one of
the ways we can ensure pensioners have dignity rather than
poverty in retirement.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
•
John Barrett MP will initiate a debate “Pensioner Poverty
inWest Edinburgh” at4pmon Wednesday 17th November. A
Minister from the Department of Work & Pensions will
attend to reply on behalf of the Government.
•
Last month, John Barrett launched his “Fair Deal for
Pensioners” Campaign. Over 1,000 pensioners inWest
Edinburghhave signed a petition that states
We the undersigned believe the means testing of pensioners
through the Pension Credit is insulting and degrading and
call on the Government to give pensioners a fairer deal through
a substantial increase in the state pension.
• Information on the number of pensioners in Scotland living
below the poverty lines was made available through a written
parliamentary answer.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners are estimated to be living below the poverty line in Scotland.
Malcolm Wicks: Poverty and social exclusion are complex and multi-dimensional issues, affecting many aspects of peoples' lives including their living standards, health, housing, the quality of their environment and not just low income. The sixth annual "Opportunity For All" report (Cm 6329) sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
Statistics for Scotland on numbers of people living in low income are published by the Scottish Executive. These show that, in 2002–03 180,000 pensioners in Scotland were living in households with income below 60 per cent. of the Great Britain median on a before housing costs basis.Notes:
1. Data from the Family Resources Survey.
2. Estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime.
3. Income measure used is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household). The median relates to the middle-ranked individual.