Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to tackle the household income inequality between different ethnic groups in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Our current focus is on supporting people financially during these unprecedented times. Our long-term ambition remains to build an economy that supports employment, ensuring opportunities for all to enter and progress in work where possible, whilst providing a strong welfare safety net for those that need it.

This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of work in tackling poverty now and in the future. Working age adults in households where all adults are in work are six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (after housing costs) than adults in a household where nobody works.

We are also committed to levelling up skills and opportunities across the country. Using latest data from the Race Disparity Audit and DWP’s own analysis, we continue to help those under-represented in the labour market and are also investing £90m towards activities that address disparities in youth unemployment.