MSP CONDEMNS COALITION FAILURE ON CHILD POVERTY

MSP CONDEMNS COALITION FAILURE ON CHILD POVERTY

CON-DEM COALITION IGNORES CHILD POVERTY

SNP MSP Aileen Campbell today hit out at the exclusion of the goal to eliminate in child poverty in the coalition agreement between the Conservatives & Liberal Democrats published earlier this week.

During the Scottish Parliament’s General Question Time, Campbell asked Children and Early Years Minister Adam Ingram if he shared her concern that no mention of tackling child poverty was included in the agreement, despite the recent ‘Growing Up In Scotland’ report finding that approximately 30% of Scottish children are classified as living in poverty.

Commenting, Aileen Campbell, who is Co-Vice Convenor of the Cross-Party Group on Children and Young People, said:

“Action to tackle the scandal of child poverty needs support from across the political spectrum in Scotland.

“I'm extremely concerned that the Tories and Liberals didn’t see fit to include the 2020 target to end child poverty, which is supported by the Scottish Government and the previous UK Government, in their coalition agreement.

“Children in Scotland deserve the best possible start in life, and the Scottish Government is working hard to use the powers it has to help those who need it more, for example through the council tax freeze, abolition of prescription charges and free school meals for those in the most deprived areas.

“However, without full control of tax powers, without independence, we have one hand tied behind our backs. This was a missed opportunity by the Tories and the Lib Dems. Despite not being elected by the people of Scotland, these parties still have a duty to help end child poverty once and for all.”