A one parent families "list of shame" has been revealed to encourage single mothers to get off benefits and into employment.

Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton has informed MPs in the worst 100 districts to provide aid in getting them off benefits.

Britain has the lowest figures in Europe of working single parents. A quarter of a million of them are on the records.

In Sweden and Denmark 80 per cent of lone mothers and fathers are working.

No1 on the list published yesterday is Tottenham - with 4,870 single parents receiving income support.

Eight of the top 10 are in London and 91 of the 100 are Labour seats.

The region named 100th - Plymouth Devonport - even has 1,800 lone parents on benefits.

Writing to members of parliament, Mr Hutton is quoted as saying by the Sun newspaper: “Currently we ask relatively little of lone parents on benefits.”