Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that Frank Field MP will lead an independent review on poverty in the UK and what the Government can do to improve the lives of the least advantaged people in our society.
Mr Field will chair the Review on Poverty and Life Chances, which will report to the Prime Minister by the end of the year.
The main aims of the Review are to:
- examine the case for reforms to poverty measures, in particular for the inclusion of non-financial elements
- generate a broader debate about the nature and extent of poverty in the UK
- explore how a child’s home environment affects their chances of being ready to take full advantage of their schooling.
- recommend potential action by government and other institutions to reduce poverty and enhance life chances for the least advantaged, consistent with the Government’s fiscal strategy.
Commenting on the review, the Prime Minister said:
“I am pleased that Frank Field is undertaking this work.
“In particular I hope that he can look at the issue of whether we should give more attention to – and find better ways of measuring – the time people spend in deep poverty, the gap between those in deep poverty and mainstream Britain and the problems of multiple deprivation and what keeps people trapped in poverty.
“Understanding the real causes of poverty – both financial and non financial, including the importance of families and the pre school years – is vital if we are going to make Britain a fairer society in which opportunity is more equal.”
Frank Field MP said:
“This is a real opportunity to influence the next stage in how our counter-poverty strategy develops, and I am pleased to be offered this chance to lead the Review.”
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2010-06-09
Review on poverty and life chances | Number10.gov.uk
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