THE Bishop of Bolton today called on the Government to determine what is the minimum level of income needed to ensure the health and well being of individual citizens.

The Rt Rev David Gillett is one of the leading supporters of a petition to the House of Lords, of which he is a member, and the House of Commons calling for the Government to act on poverty.

They want this base level income to be be a crucial factor in all decisions on the level of benefits, pensions and wages especially in respect of pregnant women and young families.

The petition urges the government "to take account of the minimum level of income necessary to maintain good health and to cover essential needs, including the need to participate fully in society when determining the level of pensions and benefits".

Thousands of people have signed the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust which is backed by dozens of leading figures from all religions.

As well as Bishop Gillett, they include the Rev Keith Hobbs, the General Superintendent of the North-west Area Baptist Union and the Rev Peter Brain, the Moderator of the North-West Synod of the United Reform Church.

Bishop Gillett urged the Government to "introduce legislation which will provide the Government with information about the minimum incomes which will provide the Government with information about the minimum incomes which will maintain good health, pro vide an adequate diet and other essential needs for pregnant women, their babies and toddlers, adults, families with children and pensioners and which will be taken into account when decisions are being made about the levels of local and national taxation, benefits, the minimum wage, working families tax credit, pensions and by the courts when determining the level of fines, the repayment of debts and all deductions from benefits".

ENDS