The Scottish Government’s vision for ending child poverty in Scotland took a step forward yesterday with the launch of The Child Poverty Bill consultation. The Bill, to be introduced next year, will build on the Scottish Government’s existing work and will form part of the overall approach to tackling poverty and inequality.
The Scottish Government aims to eradicate child poverty and the Bill will set the framework for making progress towards this goal.
These next steps will build on the range of ongoing work to tackle poverty and inequality: these include:
- a commitment to promoting the Living Wage
- free school meals
- expansion of funded early learning and childcare
- the Scottish Attainment Challenge: support by the Attainment Scotland Fund (£750 million over this parliamentary session)
- new duties to tackle inequalities of educational outcome experienced by pupils as a result of socio-economic disadvantage
The consultation was launched in Dundee yesterday where the Cabinet Secretary for Equalities Angela Constance (above) visited a Summer Family Fun & Food Programme which aims to tackle the free school meals gap out of term time by providing a range of activities and lunch for families. They aim to supply 20,000 meals over the summer.
Ms Constance said: “This Government has vowed to take action to tackle child poverty and we have already done a lot of work in this area but we want to go further.
“We’ve promised children a better start in life and more opportunities as they grow up; we’ve offered parents more and better-paid jobs and greater security in which to bring up their families; and we are committed to tackling deep-seated inequalities, especially in education and health.
“This isn’t only a job for Government. The ambition to tackle child poverty must be shared across the whole of Scotland. I want to talk about how we can work together with local governments, businesses and the third sector, but most importantly with people who experience poverty.
“Around one in five children live in poverty in Scotland. This is simply unacceptable in a modern, thriving country like ours. I want to be absolutely clear that we are serious about our ambition to eradicate child poverty, and I want to work together with partners across Scotland to make that ambition a reality.
“It was great to see some of the vital work going on in Dundee this morning but there is much more to be done. With many people affected by poverty I would like to hear from a wide range of people and organisations in this consultation.
“With this consultation we are showing that we see child poverty and low income families as a priority. We will continue to strive towards equality of opportunity for everyone in Scotland and ending the cycle of poverty once and for all.”
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Ben Macpherson, has welcomed the Scottish Government’s newly launched consultation on ending child poverty.
The consultation asks for comments on the proposals to introduce four statutory income targets seeking to drastically reduce child poverty by 2030, as well as how existing work can be strengthened.
Commenting on the consultation launch, Ben Macpherson said: “The launch of this consultation shows that the Scottish Government is taking vital action to tackle poverty and inequality across Scotland.
“I am delighted to see the Scottish Government taking this active approach to end the blight of child poverty. Tackling deep-seated inequalities is the job of all society so we need everyone across local authorities, business, the third sector and those who experience poverty to work together.
“The Child Poverty Bill consultation will allow further evidence and ideas to emerge, helping to build on efforts already underway – such as free school meals, a commitment to the Living Wage of £8.25/hour, the Scottish Attainment Challenge and duties to tackle inequalities of educational outcome due to socio-economic disadvantage.
“The Scottish Government sees child poverty as a priority – and this Bill consultation shows that the SNP in Government will work hard to end the cycle of poverty in Scotland once and for all.”
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