17 October 2005 - Together we will make poverty history - Blunkett
On UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, David Blunkett today launched the 7th Opportunity for All report and reaffirmed the Government’s historic pledge to eradicate child poverty in the UK.
Speaking at the ‘Poor Relations: Make UK Poverty History’ conference Mr Blunkett highlighted the significant progress that the report demonstrated in tackling disadvantage and exclusion.
This year for the first time, the publication contains a chapter on women’s position in the UK relative to men. It looks at areas of social, professional and economic life and offers a comprehensive picture of the financial and social status of women in the 21st century.
David Blunkett, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:
“ As today’s Opportunity for All document shows, two million children and over two million men and women in retirement have been lifted out of poverty, with 3.3 million benefiting from Pension Credit.
“ An additional 2.3 million people have a job since 1997 and almost three-quarters of a million who were dependent on benefits and of working age, are now independent, self-determining, and contributing financially to the success of our economy.
“ I’m proud of our track record and I’m determined to continue to help people to help themselves through financial inclusion. That’s why we are helping people avoid loan sharks with an extra £210 million going into budgetary loan schemes from next April. There will also be a £36 million Growth Fund to help extend Credit Unions and third sector community based lenders.
" This Report shows that we are now starting to see real signs of deep–rooted and lasting change that will help individuals and communities take control of their lives and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and deprivation.”
As part of the European Presidency a Social Inclusion Round Table is also taking place in Glasgow today. Glasgow was chosen to host the Round Table as it has had one of the highest poverty and unemployment rates in the UK and has a range of innovative projects in place to tackle these problems. Mr Blunkett will be addressing the Round Table tomorrow on the theme of inclusion.
Margaret Hodge, Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform said:
“ It is incredible that in 1997 the lone parent employment rate in Scotland was 41.3 per cent and now in 2005 it is 57.2 per cent - higher than the national average.
“ This sort of success is not an accident. It’s thanks to some of the innovative projects that many of our European delegates will be visiting in the Glasgow area later today. And it’s thanks to funding from the European Social Fund, the UK Government, the Scottish Executive and Glasgow City Council.
“ There is much that we can learn from Europe and it is crucial that we don’t just learn from our success but also from what we feel we could have done better.”
Notes for editors
- The Poor Relations: Make UK Poverty History conference was organised by leading representatives of the TUC, End Child Poverty, Oxfam, the Unemployed Workers' Centres and BOND (British Overseas NGOs for Development). It is being held in TUC Congress House between 10:30 – 16:30 and David Blunkett is speaking at 15:30.
- 41 of the 60 indicators in the Opportunity for All report show an improving trend.
- This year’s Opportunity for All report contains for the first time, specific themed chapters on Women and on Europe.
- The £36 million Growth Fund, which is a joint HM Treasury/DWP initiative, has been made available as part of the Financial Inclusion fund, announced in the Pre Budget Report by the Chancellor in December 2004.
- Summary version of the report as a PDF.
- Full version of the report as a PDF.
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