Child poverty wake up call to Westminster

SNP Welfare Reform spokesperson, Angus MacNeil MP, has used a debate on child poverty in the House of Commons to demand the UK Government “pull out all the stops” and meet its targets to lift children out of poverty. Mr MacNeil warned that Westminster was losing momentum towards eradicating child poverty.

The debate follows the publication of a report on child poverty by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee, which calls for the welfare system to be simplified so that support reaches those families most in need.

Mr MacNeil said:

“Today’s debate should be a wake up call to Westminster, and I hope all parties will unite to push for further progress towards eradicating child poverty on target.

“Children in Scotland deserve the best possible start in life, and I am pleased that the Scottish Government has already taken on board a number of the committee’s recommendations. The Scottish Government is focussed on tackling the root causes of poverty through devolved levers such as education, health, employment, skills and housing.

“It is clear that there is a particular problem with the tax and benefits system which must be reformed to ensure that nobody is overlooked or trapped in a cycle of poverty.

“The fiasco over the 10 pence tax rate is a case in point. We must have assurances that the Chancellor’s compensation package for low earners, without children, must not obscure targets towards tackling child poverty.

 “While the UK Government has lost momentum, it is certainly not too late for the 2010 target to be met, and Ministers must pull out all the stops.

“According to the Child Poverty Action Group, the target can still be met with investment of just £3billion. If the Treasury can find £9 billion to bring the Olympics to London, and bail out Northern Rock by as much £50 billion, surely Ministers can find a fraction of that to lift deprived children out of poverty?

“There is enormous political goodwill towards such an objective.

“After today’s debate, I hope that Westminster will show the same initiative and impetus as the Scottish Government to do all it can, within its available powers, to eradicate child poverty in Scotland.”